Fifi Abdou: ‘Who is Haifa Anyway’?

They say it’s not easy getting old and that it can affect your head and this was proved quite comically by Egyptian dancer and actress Fifi Abdou. In a recent interview Fifi was asked about Haifa Wahbe and she said that Haifa was a phase and that Egyptians don’t like her, instead she claims Egyptians like true Egyptian beauty. Fifi then went on to compare herself to Haifa saying that she was better looking and that she, Fifi, was the real thing and that Haifa was a fake.

Ghadeer Sues Hussein El Jasmy!

Singer Ghadeer is suing Hussein El Jasmy after acquiring a CD in which El Jasmy sings her romantic song ‘Mush Haeysh’ without her permission. Ghadeer who is asking for $5million in compensation from El Jasmy says she was shocked that her brand new song was all over the internet in El Jasmy’s voice. Ghadeer has just finished the video clip for the same song which she filmed in both Egypt and Turkey.

Price Placed On Swedish Cartoonists Head!

On August 19th of this year a Swedish Cartoonist by the name of Vilks had a picture he drew published in a Swedish newspaper. As you can imagine a cartoon in a newspaper would not receive much attention except if it is a cartoon of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) with the body of a dog! As expected Islamic groups weren’t too happy and a leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq who goes by the name of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi clearly put a $100, 000 price on Vilks head. He also added in an audio tape sent to Sweden that the bounty goes up to $150, 000 if he is ‘slaughtered like a lamb’ and that another $50, 000 will be rewarded to whoever kills Ulf Johansson the editor of the newspaper.

Micho Same As Always

It’s good for any TV presenter to try and better himself and his shows but it seems that some get stuck in a rut doing the same show every year and Micho seems to be one of them. Micho’s so called ‘new’ show ‘Ya Abyad Ya Aswd’ (Black or White) consists of him quizzing viewers and interviewing celebrities. The shows first guest was Nicole Saba and she was the reason many people watched, she was sweet and tried to help all the viewers who called to answer their questions so they could be part of the draw for $1000!

Tony Khalifeh New TV Show!

Did Tony Khalifeh actually sign a contract with New TV to present Maestro instead of Neshan during Ramadan? As you already know, Tony Khalifeh has signed a new contract with New TV (Al Jadeed Television) but not to present Maestro! Of course Not! Tony will be presenting a TV Show on New TV during the holy month of Ramadan. The name of the show will be: (Forsah) which means "A Chance" in English. Tony will appear in a different style this year, unlike previous years! People can still win prizes with Tony, but in a different way; there will be 30 Cars during Ramadan for 30 people to win every night by voting for a touching case that needs help or a chance in life.

The First Mona Lisa !

The Mona Lisa or Gioconda, is a master piece that the world has known & admired for the past 5 centuries. If you're happy, she smiles at you ... if you're sad, she's sad!
Leonardo Da Vinci must have sketched it before he started working on it, no?
Well, this sketch ... the original & first Mona Lisa was unveiled recently at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
The sketch is believed to be the original work of Leonardo Da Vinci around 1504.
Can you spot the difference between the sketch & the actual & existing Mona Lisa ?!

Mohammad Al Majthoub X-Factor 2 Winner

The youngest contestant in this year's X-Factor, 16-year-old Mohammad Al Majthoub from Syria, is on his way to becoming Rotana's youngest star. He's actually the youngest star to come out from the many talent shows that have been flooding the satellite channels for years now.
Mohammad is the winner of the talent competition X-Factor ... He beat Moroccan Bushra and won the title & the hearts of many people around the Arab world.

More Trouble for Omar Bin Laden!

It seems Omar Bin Laden's marriage to 51-year-old Jane Felix-Browne, has gotten him into more trouble than the publicity he didn't ask for!
In the latest development in this curious case, Omar's first wife, Rasha, has left him! She is determined not to come back until Omar divorces Jane!
Rasha is feeling humiliated and disappointed, but it seems Omar won't let go of his new British wife ...

Photos of Omar and Jane

Syria: Lebanese singers No, Russians Yes!

Lebanese singers cause moral deterioration in Syria ... Let's ban them from singing!
What could be more absurd than this?
One Syrian official has decided to ban Lebanese singers from performing in Syria because they cause moral deterioration !!!
The black list contains Haifa Wehbe, Elissa and Ruby - Although Ruby isn't Lebanese! - I guess she was added to the list at the last minute!

A New Series About Saddam Hussein!

Its no doubt that Sadam Hussein who was hanged earlier this year for war crimes had a very colorful life, and now the BBC are taking advantage of it. A new English series is being made that details the life of Saddam Hussein, the series is produced by the BBC who are aided by a Tunisian production company. The series is to be directed by Alex Holmes and is being filmed in Tunisia. Nigal Naor is the name of the German actor who plays Saddam Hussein and the scary part is that these two look very much alike! A source has told reporters that the series will follow 24 years of Saddam’s life and will explore his relationships with his family and the wars he was part of.

Nichan Turned the Table on Wafaa

I was fortunate enough to be watching Rotana when Wafaa El Kelany returned with her highly successful show Ded El Tayar. The main guest of this show was Nichan and this friendly interview turned into something that looked a bit like a war. Wafaa was quite honest and asked Nichan about the one thing everybody wanted to know: how does he feel about the accusations that he copied Tony Khaleefa. But Nichan became quite defensive when he heard the question and turned the table on Wafaa’ and said that most shows he watches today are actually copied or influenced by his show ‘Maestro’ including Ded El Tayar.

$100 Million Movie To Be Shot in Petra

Petra in Jordan is one of the new wonders of the world. This wonder will be the setting if the upcoming film entitled City of Lost Spirits. In this $100 million movie Petra will be shown in its entire splendor with the 360 degrees view that will be provided. If you remember and liked the Indiana Jones movies as well as the Raiders of the Lost Ark, you will also like the City of Lost Spirits since it’s also an action adventure movie. The whole movie written by Jordanian writer/director Sandra Kawar will uncover the legends of Petra.

Oil Barrel Pyramid to be Built in UAE

Pyramids abound in the Middle East. How would you feel if you were told that these thousand years pyramids are about to be added with one more? This is very likely because artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude revealed their plan to create a new pyramid somewhere in the vast desert of UAE. But unlike the most admired Pyramid of Giza and other pyramids, this won’t be made of bricks and sand but of oil barrels! This planned pyramid of oil barrels which they called as the Mastaba project would be 150 meters high and would be composed of approximately 390,500 barrels, stacked right on top of each other! If this pyramid of oil barrels materializes, it’s said to survive for 5,000 years. They are still waiting for approval from the UAE government.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Leaked on the Net!

3 days…yup that’s the remaining time until the official release of J.K Rowling’s last and most awaited addition to the Harry Potter series. But even before 12:01 a.m. of July 21, a spoiler for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has already transpired. While majority of Potter fans like myself still don’t know what became of Harry and his friends at the end of the book, some have already had the privilege…all because of the leaks on the Internet.

Dubai Film Festival Recognized by USA Today

Dubai Film Festival was mentioned in an article in the famous newspaper USA Today about successful film festivals and was recognized as one of the most important festivals in the world along with Cannes, London, Toronto and Sun Dance.

The article described Dubai Film Festival as very important since it plays an important role in narrowing the gap between the Middle East and the west by exchanging cultures. In addition to that, the article mentioned how much Dubai is a hospitable city & has all what it takes to be a pioneer on many levels.

Meet Omar Bin Laden & his British Wife!

This is Omar Bin Laden ... his name seems familiar, doesn't it! DA! He is the son of the world-famous terrorist Osama Bin Laden!
Now, when you're the son of such a famous man, anything you do will make headlines, even if it's just getting married!
Omar Bin Laden's marriage to a woman twice his age, made headlines & got heavy media coverage ... which by the way annoyed Omar!
Omar tied the knot with 51-year-old Jane Felix-Browne, a British grandmom who has been married & divorced five times!
Jane has become the second wife of Omar ...

Did Wafa Maky Try To Commit Suicide?!

Bahraini actress Wafa Maky was transported to a medical facility in Kuwait whilst she was filming the new series ‘Al Hasad Al Mur’ but after medical tests the hospital accused her of attempting to commit suicide. Wafa suffered from an unexpected drop in her blood pressure which was the effect of taking an overdose of Brufen 600 and Panadol. Wafa denies that she attempted suicide and instead said that during the filming of her show and for that entire day she was suffering from a headache and she took the pills hoping they would immediately get rid of the pain.

Ayman El Dahabi: The Rest of the Interview

This is the rest of the interview of Ayman El Dahabi:

In what way?
In every way possible, and I speak of her as a manager, and producer, not as a former husband. I have the right to speak of any artist, and I speak of Ahlam, Nawal, and Magida [El Roumi] in the same way I speak of Asalah. I speak of the matters that do not appeal to in her work. In her last [which meant "Hayati" at the time of this interview], I only liked "Aktar" and "Arod Leih".

She has a great song by [singer/songwriter/composer] Marwan Khoury in her album, and she didn't shoot a video clip for it.
She is free to do whatever she wants, and [sarcastically] "Ma Sha' Allah" her husband [director Tarek Alarian] butts into every tiny detail of her work. Whatever song appeals to him, he shoots. Also, he has become the hero in all her video clips, missing her and kissing her on camera. Her husband is a real lover boy, and may God grant you both success.

Ayman El Dahabi: I Wish I Cheated More on Asalah!

Singer Asalah Nasri's former manager and ex-husband of 15 years, Ayman El Dahabi, recently talked with Elaph.com before the season finale of "Album", the reality show he is a judge in. Here are the highlights; his discussion of budding singer Sara El Hani (the strongest new voice in the industry) and his feelings towards ex-wife/project Asalah:

You are known to be a sensitive & caring man, where is your love life today, after a failed marriage & engagement?
My engagement was rushed as a response to Asalah leaving me. I engaged quickly and left it quickly.

Aseel, the New Asalah?

Recently the manager for the ‘Al Mashreq Al Arabi’ group from the MBC show ‘Album’ Ayman El Thahabi had an interview with a major online newspaper where he spoke quite a bit about his ex-wife Asalah. One of the most interesting parts of this interview was that when Ayman was asked about weather he could ever find a new Asalah he replied that he already had and that she was the Iraqi contestant from his group in Album who goes by the name of Aseel.

Strange emails From Rotana!

For a while now emails are being sent to all reporters signed in the name of the large musical company Rotana but which Rotana claims they know nothing about! The first of these emails described a large amount of scandals related to the company which was sent to reporters all over the world. The strange thing is although Rotana insists that no one from their establishment had anything to do with this email it was written in the same format that all Rotana emails are written and the company logo was even present!

Marcel Khalife’s Albums Come to Egypt

It will come as a shock to many of you that Marcel Khalife’s albums were, until today, not available anywhere in Egypt! Marcel Khalife is known as one of the best political singers of our time and has been in the music business for over 30 years and his popularity has overcome the border of Lebanon which is why a major cultural centre in Egypt decided to bring 15 of his albums to Egypt so the Egyptian people can improve their musical ear and taste.

Carlos Slim The Richest Man Alive

Carlos Slim a 67 year old Lebanese native and Mexican business man has surpassed Microsoft creator Bill Gates and has been named the Richest man in the world! Carlos owns the Mexican website ‘Sentido Cumon’ which specializes in financial and economic media! This title was given to him by Forbes magazine that make a list of the richest people in the world...

Press TV To Counteract The Lies of The Western Media

Iran launched their very own English-language satellite TV as their way of balancing the news, especially regarding the events that are happening in Iran, being aired throughout the world by the Western TV channels. Prior to the launch, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Mohammad Sarafraz said in a press conference that the new channel was established in order “to counteract the lies of the western media”. The English-language television channel which they names as Press TV will be a way for them to show another side of the news that are coming out.

Oman Lifts Ramadan Ban on Alcohol!

Well here’s a first the government in Oman has seen it fit to allow the consumption of alcohol during the month of Ramadan! Of course there were further conditions, the consumption is limited to certain hotels and is allowed after sunset and this rule applies only to in-house guests. As expected owners of hotels that were chosen to be allowed to serve ‘hard beverages’ in this holy month are thrilled and predict an increase in ‘beverage revenue’ and ‘room revenues’.

Razan Moghrabi Uses Album as a Platform to Find a Groom!

Many of us have become quite attracted to the program Album, but it is obvious that the presenter Razan’s intentions go beyond finding the next Arab group to win the Album; it seems Razan also wishes to find a groom! It all started with the tableaux Razan performed with one of the judging panel members Abd El Kader Hadhood which was followed by a constant flirting between both performers of the ‘Aladdin’ tableaux. Many people were disturbed by what was said between these two whilst others found it absolutely amusing.

2 Flags for Saudi Arabia

The title sounds strange, but it sure is somewhat true!
A serious decision has been taken by the Saudi authorities to come up with a second flag for Saudi Arabia … one that presents the most significant aspects of Saudi Arabia as a symbol of union so that it could be used in sports events and other occasions.

Hala Sarhan Will Be Back on Rotana!

Mr. Ayman El Halawany, Generel Producer of Rotana, totally denied that Hala Sarhan was let off by Rotana and that she is just spending a period of relaxation after her health troubles and the recent scandal of the prostitutes show and assured that she will be back soon.

Arabsat Threatens to Shut Down Channels!

There has been a recent epidemic of channels with so called ‘sorcerers’ who either tell the future or coach you to commit acts of black magic via the TV. Finally, the Arabsat network has started doing something about that! After this epidemic upset many men of religion, the network has threatened several channels that broadcast such programs that they will be kicked out of the network if they do not seize this inappropriate activity. Kahlid Ben Ahmed EL Khayoor an official at Arabsat claimed that strict action will be taken over the next two weeks against channels that do not stop broadcasting such mumbo jumbo!

No More Kisses in Egypt After Today!

Kissing mostly on the cheek is a custom way of greeting in Egypt, however, a new organization with the motto of ‘No more kisses after today’ have started and are attempting to ban kissing all together. The founder of this organization Doctor Adel Ashour assures those who have looked at this new idea with mockery of it seriousness especially after Bird Flu victims were discovered in Egypt and this disease can be passed by kissing apparently.

‘Sicko’ Pirated on YouTube

You Tube has become ever more famous with time but now, it’s turning against producers as somehow pirated movies are showing up on Youtube unannounced and before release dates. This was recently witnessed with Micheal Moore’s highly anticipated documentary that goes by the name of ‘Sicko’ and which was supposed to air June 29th and has in fact been posted on Youtbe in the form of 14 consecutive parts all adding up to the 124 minute movie!

Elvis’s Drugs Go on Sale!

We have all seen the strangest and most bizarre items go on sale on the famous eBay website and in auction houses around the USA, but I think this sale trumps them all! The Kings prescription drugs were sold recently in an auction house for a whopping $2600 and although they included some of the prescribed antihistamines, the auction house was warned by Police it would be illegal to sell the pills.

Dr. Death, Jack Kevorkian, is Free Again

It was eight years ago yesterday, that the man famously known as Dr. Death was sentenced to jail ... eight years for second-degree murder charge for helping a man commit suicide.
Dr. Death, or Jack Kevorkian, was released yesterday, after finishing his eight-year sentence.
Kevorkian is said to have helped at least 130 people, who suffer from terminal diseases, die from 1990 to 1998.
Kevorkian believes that people have the right to decide when they want to die, thus, now that he's out, he will work on the legalization of assisted suicide, but won't commit any crimes.

Oprah Winfrey ... Where Does She Stand?

A person once told me that Oprah Winfrey was Pro-Israeli, but I didn't believe him ... I thought: "No way! If there's one person that should be against what the Israeli government has been doing in 'Palestine' for the last 50 years, it should be Oprah! She was a victim once & today she's a humanitarian ... She knows what the black people of Africa are going through, she knows that slavery was unfair & unjust, she is the one that helps the poor, the sick, the orphaned, the hungry & the deprived ... She must be aware that the only terrorists in Palestine, aren't the people defending their land that has been raped & protecting their children who become 'stone throwers' from the day they are born, but none other than the Israeli government". It seems I was wrong!

Prince Harry NOT Going to Iraq!

What a surprise ... Not!
A few months back, i wondered whether Prince Harry was going to go & fight in Iraq ... the answer comes today: He is NOT!
According to a top ranking official, there are great threats made to Prince Harry and his crew of 12 men, so they can't just get shipped off to Iraq!
If Prince Harry would gone to Iraq, he would have been the first member of the British royal family to serve in a war zone since his uncle, Prince Andrew.
Andrew was a helicopter pilot in the 1982 Falklands conflict with Argentina.

Youtube & Ebay Win at the Webby’s!

I for one, cannot live without the privileges of YouTube and eBay and I guess I am not alone, because on Tuesday Steve Chen and Chad Hurley, the co-founders of Youtube, were announced the winners of Webbies ‘People of the year’ award for ‘transforming the media landscape and reshaping everything from politics to pop culture’, which I think is slightly exaggerated. For those of you who don’t know the Webby awards, it's basically the Oscars of the internet and they award internet achievers in nearly 100 categories.

Iraninan Fashion Police Crack Down on ‘Western’ Hair Styles!

Believe it or not the Iranian government has decided to be more strict about ‘bad hijab’ and ‘unIslamic clothing’ and so have decided to ban all barbers from giving customers ‘western hair styles’! Basically if you wear a tie, make up, spiked up hair or pluck your eyebrows you are in trouble and barbers who do not abide by this new rule will lose their licenses. We don’t know for sure if this ban is for Iran in its entirety or only Tehran but both ways I think it’s mad! There is no religious commandment that requires the regulation of what people wear or how they style their hair.

A College Student at 95!

On May 12th, college student Alexandra Ochs, 21, will graduate in a huge ceremony ... so will her grandmother!
Nola Ochs, 95, will be graduating from the same college in Kansas, her grand-daughter goes to ... she'll be the world's oldest college graduate!
Nola just loves to learn, she says: "''That yearning for study was still there. I came here with no thought of it being an unusual thing at all. It was something I wanted to do. It gave me a feeling of satisfaction. I like to study and learn."
Nola is going to break a Guinness World Record; she will break Mozelle Richardson record, who at age 90 in 2004 received a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Miss Iraq 2006 was Silva Sahagian

A few months back, there was a Miss Arab World Beauty Pageant in Egypt and among the young women participating in that pageant was Miss Iraq 2006 Claudia Hanna ... Well, turns out that that Pageant was not an unofficial one and that Hanna isn't Miss Iraq 2006 at all and she never participated in a Miss Iraq contest! What a mess!

The real Miss Iraq 2006 is a young lady by the name of Silva Sahagian ... This mix up has caused lots of trouble for the organizers of the unofficial pageant and even a huge law suit has been thrown in their faces by the organizers of the official Miss Arab World Beauty Pageant.

Shaun Ellis Takes on the Wild

Imagine being so committed to your job that you would live with wolves for 18months. Well that’s exactly what Shaun Ellis did when he wanted to learn more about wolf society. Shaun explained to the Insider why he felt this was necessary
"There was very little known about the internal workings of wolf packs and about their intricate language that they have with one another and some of the secrets that we badly needed to help them in the wild,”

Buy Knight Rider KITT for $149.995

Remember KITT*, the talking car from the hit show Knight Rider?
I sat in that car in 1986 in Universal studios & it talked to me, aked me my name & other stuff that made me go crazy at that time! I coudn't believe that i was actually in it!
KITT is now for sale at a California car dealership ... The black 1982 Pontiac Trans Am is offered at $149.995!
The features of this 'then futuristic' car as having two working video screens on the dashboard, cockpit buttons that light up in green, yellow & red: ski mode, rocket boost, micro jam, silent mode, oil slick & eject.

*KITT is short for Knight Industries Two Thousand

Hala Sarhan to Face the Media

Things heated up real bad after the episodes Dr. Hala Sarhan did about prostitutes in Egypt on her popular show on Rotana 'Hala Show'. Sarhan even disappeared from the media scene for a while after that & is still absent.
Rumors even started popping up, the latest is that Sarhan has been fired from her position as cinema production manager in Rotana!

Daniel Radcliffe Gets Rave Reviews For Equus

Daniel Radcliffe a.k.a. Harry Potter … and just recently he’s now also taken a new identity when he played the lead role in the London West End stage play “Equus”. The play written by Peter Shaffer is about a young man, Alan Strang, who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for maiming horses. Taking this role highlighted a new side to Daniel Radcliffe, one that is so different from being the bespectacled boy called Harry Potter. This time Daniel is seen on stage in an intelligent, provocative and even controversial light, especially that he had a nude scene in the play. It’s a nude scene with co-star Joanna Christie where he had to be naked for approximately 15 minutes until before the play ends.

Said El Marouk Moves On Up

Lebanese German director Said El Marouk is well known for his great work with the Arab world’s brightest stars. From Nancy Ajram and Kadim El Saher to Nawal El Kuwaitia and Latifa, Said has created beautiful video clips that incorporate a beautiful story with beautiful scenery and amazing quality. However, Said also directed countless short films and commercials, and his talent is finally being tapped by Hollywood.

Egyptian Blogger in Jail, while Kunouz & Shahrazad are Free!

A 22 year old Egyptian blogger named Abdel Karim Nabil has been imprisoned by the Egyptian authorities for a period of four years recently after being found guilty of insulting the Islamic religion and the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

This is the very first time such a trial is introduced to the courts of law in Egypt and it only lasted for five minutes!

Abdel Karim used his blog to criticize Al-Azhar University, calling it a
'terrorist university' and called Mubarak a 'dictator'. It is worth mentioning that Abdel Karim was an Azhar student and was kicked out from the university in 2006!

Solar Power Plant: The First in the Gulf

The Middle East is one of the regions in the world that serve as the quarters of some of the most thriving businesses. Being home to a wide variety of businesses makes it imperative for the region to have consistent power supply. In Abu Dhabi in particular, the government is planning to put up a solar power plant amounting to $350 million. This venture is something new in the region that exports large volume of oil to the world at large. Abu Dhabi specifically possesses 90% of the oil reserve in the Emirates area.

Hind Sabry is a Lawyer Now

The Tunisian actress Hind Sabry is living the happiest days in her life for experiencing her lawyer skills after her legitimate acceptance from the Tunisian Law.

Tunisian law rejected Hind last year from practicing law since she was an actress and this could harm their picture and this was a fact Hind wasn't satisfied about saying that acting was just a hobby and thats what made her insist on what she dreamt of and tried persistently to make it come true!

What's the Story Between Dr. Hala & the Prostitutes?

Recently,the famous Rotana Tv presenter Dr.Hala Sarhan has been accused of fabricating her show in which she interviewed (face-censored) girls who are prostitutes-or what she claims them to be- that discussed various issues about how they get along with such an act.

This topic has been such an attraction to the media in Egypt and the Arab world since the girls who were interviewed proclaim that Dr.Hala is a fraud and paid them to say such statements on Tv just to increase the awareness to those who have been driven into the world of prostitution.

Egypt’s First Lady Honors the Prince of Arab Singing

In a charity ceremony, Suzan Mubarak honored the popular Egyptian singer Hany Shaker. The ceremony was held by Inner Wheel Charity Club and was attended by more than 1500 guests and members of Inner Wheel from Egypt and Jordan.

Hany Shaker was supposed to sing for 45 minutes but due to the audience’s demand, he sang for one hour and half. Shaker donated his income from the concert for the charity projects organized by Inner Wheel Club.

Who's The Fairest of Them All?

Who are the most pampered & beautiful women in the world? ... Go on, take a guess ... But it will have to be a wild guess!
I'm not sure what you have in mind, but Saudi women are the 'fairest of them all'!
I didn't make this up, it's all based on a British research conducted by Starch Research Center.
Several things were taken into consideration when the research was taking place, like:

Al-Walid Bin Talal's Daughter's Wedding

Saudi billionaire Al-Walid Bin Talal's daughter, Rym, wed on the 17th January, 2007. To celebrate the wedding of his daughter, 100 singers from Al-Walid's Rotana music label were signed to participate in the festivities. A number of singers sang in a 10 day private concert. Also, prominent singers like Najwa Karam, Ahlam, and Asalah Nasri have recorded special songs to mark the event. Finally, to immortalize the event for Princess Rym, the singers will al partiicipate in a video clip specially made for her.

Lauren Nelson, Miss America 2007

Monday night was overwhelming for 20-year-old Lauren Nelson from Oklahoma.
The aspiring Broadway star was crowned Miss America during the annual beauty contest.
Nelson wishes to continue her theatrical studies & go on with an acting career.
Nelson started acting at a very early age & even had roles in famous Broadway plays like Bye Bye Birdie & Anything Goes.
This is the second year in a row, that a Miss Oklahoma takes away the title.
The two runner-ups were from the states of Texas & Georgia.

Nour Competing with Egyptian Actresses

It seems that Lebanese actress Nour is so busy these days, she has 2 movies that are playing in cinemas which are: “Matab Senai” and “El Rahina”. “Matab Senai” is a romantic comedy that is played by Ahmed Helmy ... while the other movie is totally different since Noor plays the role of a killer however this movie was strongly criticized because it is talking about a very sensitive issue which is the relationship between Muslims and Christians.

Arabic Version of National Geographic Magazine

Here comes the Arabic version of National Geographic that will be published in Egypt starting from February. The magazine will be a mix between National Geographic for Kids and National Geographic Explorer and will be targeting youth.

This great information was announced in a big ceremony that was held last Thursday and the guests were ministers and remarkable figures. Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, the CEO of Nahdet Misr publishing house, said that the prestigious organization of National Geographic has been always a center of science, exploration, discovery and adventures.

Larry King Celebrates his 50th Anniversary

CNN is preparing for an anniversary party for Larry King who has been working in media for 50 years and has hosted more than 5,000 guests including presidents and VIPs. It will also celebrate this event for a whole week from 16th to 22nd of April.

CNN is intending to bring ex-presidents and remarkable characters to this event. It will also broadcast a documentary film about his career life and lots of shows with ex-presidents like Bill Clinton and celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey.

The Funeral of Ibrahim Khan

The funeral of actor Ibrahim Khan was held yesterday noon. Ibrahim Khan has died the day before yesterday at the age of 70 after suffering from cancer for a long period. He has a daughter who is 4 years old.

Ibrahim Khan is from Sudan and went to Egypt in 1954 to start his career in cinema. He has participated in a lot of famous movies such as “Ghoroub we Shorok’” with Souad Husni and “El Sooud Lel Haweya”.

May God rest his soul.

By Ghada

A Documentary Film About Husni Mubarak

The well known journalist Christian Mallare from France has made a documentary film about the Egyptian president Husni Mubarak and considers it the most important documentary in comparison to the other 2 films produced for foreign presidents and predicts that it will be a surprise.

Christian traveled to Egypt the last month to start the production of the film. The documentary included the biography of Mubarak, his family and practical life and interviews with his friends.

UFO Sightings Will Hit the Web Soon

UFO’s or Unidentified flying objects is one of the topics that can really attract the attention of anybody who happens to be listening. If you doubt this, you can just find evidence of the great interest people invest in it from the high ratings of any movie or TV series tackling the subject! Over the years there have been several reports about sightings of such objects. So by now there are already a lot of data accumulated regarding that.

Saudi Arabia's Artificial Rain

Everyone knows Saudi Arabia's hot desert doesn't see much rain. And this year's season has been no exception. Rain is needed and badly so. But the Kingdom isn't going to wait and leave it to chance. It's going to rain by hook or by crook as the Saudis are looking to science for a solution. Artificial rain is created by spraying a passing cloud with chemicals forcing the creation of water and then pushing the cloud to a designated spot. Four small planes will do this by flying up and unloading their chemicals onto it.

Will Prince Harry Go to Iraq?

Last week, we wondered whether Jenna & Barbara Bush should go & fight in Iraq ... Which is a very legit question ... This week, the fingers point to Prince Harry ...
Prince Harry's girlfriend was quoted saying: "Haz is off to war." ... Could that be true?
The Prince has always said he is determined to do battle with his 100-strong unit, A Squadron of the Blues and Royals -- part of the Household Cavalry.
But the British Ministry of Defense insists that the decision of allowing Prince Harry to fight in Iraq has yet to be made.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Will he die? Will he live? Will he be sacrificed? All bets are open as JK Rowling has hinted that tragedy awaits in the final novel.

Bookmakers William Hill said consumers think the young wizard will die on the hands of Lord Voldemort.
Other possible killers may be Professor Snape, Draco Malfroy, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

No More FHM Magazine!

Guy magazines are not only full of photos of slim, tuned up women! They have lots of health advice, thechnology news, diet plans & new interesting products.
Magazines like Maxim, Men's Health, Men's Fitness & Stuff are interesting & can be enjoyed by women as well.
But it seems one 'Lad' Magazine has found it's way out of the US market ... FHM Magazine has been stopped in North America.
The British publisher Emap pulled the plug on FHM in the US because of the difficult advertising market ... FHM had been guaranteeing advertisers an average monthly circulation of about 1.25 million, but it lost money in the first half of the year after revenue fell 20 percent! ...
The last issue of FHM will be March 2007 ...

New Kuwaiti Actress on the Rise!

Afrah is the name of the new young Kuwaiti actress who has seen the way to stardom. All she has to do now is follow the yellow brick road.
She's mainly been playing in theater such as "Al Nahar Al Mashoor" which was a big hit during last Eid, in addition to "Amel Fe Mamlaket Al Namil" where she played a gang member preparing to overthrow the government. After her theater experience, she's now moved onto TV shows where she's participating in the social series "Zohoor Omri" playing the role of a cute teenaged girl who goes through many ups and downs.

Isn't it interesting how new actresses pop up out of nowhere in countries like Lebanon and Egypt but when one comes out of a conservative Gulf state, it makes the news?
Are actresses like Afrah going to change this norm?

Scottish Man Gets Most Advanced Bionic Hand

As we get closer and closer to the Terminator era, science is closing the gap on what is science-fiction and reality. We know that Jesse Sullivan who made headlines as the man with the artificial arm had an electric arm fitted to help him with everyday life.
But the hand he had had was very basic just like a claw and couldn't move like a regular hand could. Today, an advanced version of a bionic hand, with five individually powered fingers, has been fitted to a man in Scotland.

David Irving Freed

Freedom of speech is a tricky business. At some point, A Danish newspaper published cartoons of the prophet Mohammed which were insulting to Muslims...but that's freedom of speech.

Later, the Pope made his own comments on the Islam and Mohammed which drove Muslims angry too...but that's freedom of speech.

How come the same rules don't apply to the Holocaust?
British author, David Irving, was convicted for 3 years on charges of denying the Holocaust in Austria. And what's more, he didn't deny it. What he said was that most of those who died at Nazi concentration camps like Auschwitz died of diseases such as typhus rather than being executed by the Germans.
He was released under probation after serving over a year behind bars.

9 Ford Cars for "Keif Al Hal" Crew

Prince Waleed Bin Talal met the cast of the first full-length Saudi Movie "Keif Al Hal" in Riyadh. The Prince gifted a total of 9 Fords, one for each, as a show of gratitude for their high performance.
The happy crew consisted of Aymen Halawani, the general manager for production, and Star Academy’s 2005 winner Hisham Abed Al Rahman.

Joeseph Barbera Dies at 95

The man who brought you the great Tom & Jerry cartoons along side William Hanna died yesterday at the age of 95.
In the 1930s, both worked for MGM and produced the fantastic Tom & Jerry cartoons which won 7 Oscars. After MGM closed down the animation department in the 1950s, they went to create their own business and thus Hanna-Barbera was born. They in turn, brought us some of our favorite childhood characters such as the Flinstones, Scooby-Doo and the Jetsons. His characters have now become iconic and loved in American pop culture.

Tara Connor Hands Over Her Tiara!

Miss USA Tara Connor, 20, who won the beauty pageant last April, will supposedly hand over her tiara to 1st runner-up Miss California Tamiko Nash!
You might wonder why? ... Well ... Since she won 8 months ago, she's been acting like Lindsay Lohan & Paris Hilton! Partying .. Partying & Partying!
Guess who doesn't like that? ... The Donald himself! So, her 'behavioral & personal issues' have been evaluated by the pageant organizers.

Bad News in Palestine

Well it looks like trouble is near in the Palestinian territories as Prime Minister Ismael Haniya's convoy came under fire killing one of his bodyguards.

Almost immediately, Hamas accused rivals Fatah of attempting the failed assassination. Riots then broke out which saw clashes between Fatah and Hamas supporters which have claimed dozens of casualties.
Today marks the 19th anniversary of Hamas' establishment as large crowds gather in Gaza where the PM will make a speech.

Diana's Death: An Accident!

British police have declared that the death of princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed was a "tragic accident" and that allegations of murder are unfounded.

"Our conclusion is that, on all the evidence available at this time, there was no conspiracy to murder any of the occupants of the car. This was a tragic accident," said Lord John Stevens, former chief of the Metropolitan Police, who led the investigation of the deaths of Diana, 36, and Fayed, 42.

But billionaire Mohammed Al Fayed has another belief. When asked at a press conference of his opinion of the report, he said: “It’s all part of the cover-up.”

Teacher Calls Muslim student a “terrorist”

In Sydney at Blackhurst High-school a teacher called Michael Seymour said he was not 'negotiating' with a 'terrorist' after a classroom incident with a Muslim student called Wagih Fares. The teenager stormed out of the classroom while his teacher ran after him trying to apologize for his mistake.

The New South Wales department of Education stood by its decision to Reprimand the teacher rather than sack him. The teacher was ordered to start counseling and attend a multicultural sensitivity course. The department confirmed it has investigated the incident and a spokeswoman quoted, "The Department considers the comment unacceptable and insensitive and does not condone it"

AOL Reveals Top Searches For 2006

AOL today announced the year’s top searches based on the topics that received the highest volume of online queries on AOL Search and AOL Video Search. The rise in online video this year unveiled a new wave of results dominated by music and entertainment.

"This annual list is always a fun way to look back at the year and see what sparked interest,” said Timothy Tuttle, Ph.D., Vice President, AOL® Video. “One of the biggest trends online in 2006 was video and millions of people turned to AOL to find everything from music videos and concerts, to TV, movies and sports highlights, to the most popular viral videos."

Iranian Students: "Fascist president"

In a surprise move, a bunch of Iranian students disrupted a speech made by Iranian president Ahmadinejad at the Polytechnic University in Tehran.
They started chanting in the middle of his speech and held up a banner which read: "Fascist president, the Polytechnic is not a place for you."
Then, one of them held up his picture and burned it while another student set off a firecracker.
Oh poor students...someone's going to fail this semester!

Pro-Nejad students then silenced the protestors and that's when the president continued his speech, apparently calm about the whole thing.

The Two Seas Channel: Good for the Dead Sea or Israeli plan?

Jordan hosted an international meeting recently to discuss the funding and implementation of the Two Seas Channel project (the Dead Sea and the Red Sea) with participations from Palestine and Israel in addition to some European countries.
Experts in the Arab-Israeli conflict are calling the project as the second biggest project the Jewish state has undertaken since its creation in 1948.
The project aims to raise the water level of the Dead Sea as experts say the lever there is constantly falling. One day, the Dead Sea will be really dead!

France 24: The first French news station in 4 languages

In a speech on the new news channel, the French ambassador to Qatar said that France 24 is the new French news channel and will broadcast in English and French soon to be followed by Arabic and Spanish in 2007.

He also added that the channel does not conflict with the existing Arabic news channels such as Al Jazeera and Al Arabia nor does it compete with them. He also said that the channel was based on an initiative by French President Jacques Chirac and that the 24-hours news channel has its own set of targets and perspectives with 170 journalists from 27 countries and a budget of 80 million Euros.

Laura Bush's Silly Dress Disaster!

This past week-end, The Bush's held a holiday party at the Kennedy Center & what a surprise was there waiting for Laura Bush!
Laura Bush has spilled around $9.000 for an Oscar De La Renta dress
-which isn't really that great!-... But she wasn't alone!
Three other ladies, who were also guests at the party, did the same!
But this fashion disaster didn't seem to bother The Bush's ... They laughed about it & then Laura Bush went upstairs & got into something different!

Anan: Iraq Worse!!!

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said that Iraq today is worse of from the time of Saddam Hussein!
Finally someone admits it!

When asked if it was a civil war, he said it was "worse than a civil war.”
In an interview with the BBC, Annan expressed his deep sorrow for what was happening in Iraq.

Iraqi Twins Stable

After 21 hours of surgery at a Saudi hospital, a pair of conjoined Iraqi twins were successfully separated and expected to survive.

"The girls are stable now, and we are approaching stage 8 of 10 stages, which is that of complete separation ... Then they will be placed on separate tables and their wounds will be dealt with by plastic and pediatric surgery," said Sami al-Shalan of the National Guard Hospital.

Thousands Take to the Streets of Lebanon

It's stated! Lebanon's struggle for power is at its height today as thousands of protestors took to the streets in an attempt to bring down Prime Minister Siniora's government. The Hizbollah led rally packed the streets waving red-and-white Lebanese flags under banners demanding a government of national unity.
Thousands of soldiers, using barbed wire and metal barriers, have surrounded the complex housing the government's office.

Seinfeld's Kramer Racist Disaster

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.

Nativity Story Premiere at the Vatican

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."

Calling from 1000M on Emirates Airlines

"Please switch off all mobile phones."
This is something you won't be hearing anymore if you're traveling on Emirates. Starting next year, the airline said it will allow passengers traveling on its flights to use their mobile phones onboard. That means you can keep in contact with ground below via sms as well.

It didn't come cheap for Emirates however. The airline invested US$27 million to fit its fleet with technology from supplier AeroMobile.

Razan Smacked on the Head!

Famous Lebanese presenter Razan was whacked on the head causing a head injury for which she was taken to hospital for.

The culprit was fellow actor Khalid Al Sawi.

This is how it happened...

They are both shooting the new movie called "Hassan Tayara" at a steel mill. Now, Khalid is supposed to slap her on the face which he did "gladly I'm sure :)" The slap sent her spinning and eventually banging her head on a steel plate. Awww!!!
It would have been great if they caught all that on camera and allow us to see it later!

Protestors in Cairo

Thousands of protestors in Cairo and Alexandria expressed their anger at the statements made by Egyptian Minister of Cultural Affairs, Farouk Hasani, concerning the hijab.

The Minister had previously said that the hijab was "backward".
About 5,000 protestors, including a large number of women, after Friday prayers carrying Islamic slogans and demanded the Minister to sacked and trailed for his statements.

A One of a Kind Peace Protest!

On December the 22nd, there is a peace protest that will take place everywhere in the world and everyone is invited regardless of your political or religious inclinations. It is not a street demonstration but you can do it in the privacy of your own home or in public if that is what takes your fancy. It is a global orgasm for peace demonstration.

The idea is the brain child of peace activists Donna Sheehan and Paul Reffell, aged 76 and 55. They believe that channeling positive energy during and after orgasm will "reduce the current dangerous levels of aggression and violence throughout the world".

They urge every man and woman to participate, in every corner of the globe especially in countries that possess weapons of mass destruction.

China Lifts Wikipedia Blockage

All web surfers have probably heard about Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia. This website run by non-profit organization is a helpful site especially for those who want to access important information for research or just to know some information. The fact that information is provided free on site makes it very beneficial. Its service is very unique because the users can either add or edit any of the information cited.

Elton John Wants to Ban Religion!

According to pop star Elton John, Religion should be banned because it feuls anger & hatred towards gay people!
He thinks that Religion discriminates against gays & not only that but has also failed to do anything about tensions & conflicts around the world.
Elton John says in an interview: "I would ban religion completely. Organised religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings & it's not really compassionate."
... Shut up Elton ! ...

Nokia and Rotana

Got a Nokia 3250 and love Arabic music? Then you're in for a treat.
Nokia and Rotana, the world's largest distributor of Arabic music, have signed a deal where Nokia handsets such as N91 and 3250 will come embedded with a program called the Rotana-Player which will enhance consumers' mobile music experience.

The Most Expensive Piece of Art in History

How much do you think does the most expensive piece of art costs? No matter how high you go with the millions, I don't think you would say $140 Million !!!
Last week, just last week, a Jackson Pollock painting was sold for that number!
Well, at least it isn't small in size; the painting, which was done on fiberboard, measures 4-feet 8-inches in height. It is entitled "No. 5, 1948".

Iraq Divided on Saddam Verdict

Right down the middle, the once most prosperous country in the Middle East, is divided again, this time in their support and opposition to the court’s ruling in the Saddam trail.

At a time when thousands of Shiites marched in joy, parallel angry protests were underway in Sunni areas. And while the people expressed their joy and anger, the fighting goes on.

The U.S. military announced the deaths of 3 soldiers in fighting in Anbar bringing the number of U.S. troops killed this month to 16, while the bodies of 50 murder victims were discovered around the country.

First Saudi Film to Show in Egypt

This Eid, a new type of movie will hit the Egyptian cinemas for the first time.
At a time where Rotana is showing a video clip for the singer Mais Hamdan and Hisham Abdel Rahman called “Keif Al Hal” or “How Are You”, taken from the new Saudi movie, the writer of the movie, Bilal Fadil, said that Rotana is trying hard to have the movie shown in Egypt during Eid Al Adha.

Fadil said that this is a excellent step as it give other Arab nationalities in Egypt, especially the Gulf community, a chance to watch a Saudi movie for the first time as this marks the beginning of the Saudi cinema industry.

Photos from the Saudi Film 'Keif Al Hal'

Arab Beauty Queen Causes Controversy in Egypt

Once again, the topic of "beauty queen" causes controversy in Egypt.
This time on the parliamentary level.
This happened when Akram Al Shair, a member of parliament attached to the Muslim Brotherhood party, asked the question to the Prime Minister whether or not such contests should be held at the same time as the Israeli war on Lebanon. It is noted that the Muslim Brotherhood party have always opposed Beauty contests in all forms.

Lebanese Beauty Queen's Charity

Gabrielle Bou Rached, who was elected as Lebanon's beauty queen 2005 is preparing to tour schools in Southern Lebanon just as she promised when she won the beauty contest.
Her tour is aimed at many ideals such as encouraging children to read more.

Gabrielle didn't win the title this year, one of the reasons being the Israeli war. But she still continues her charity work in many aspects, most recently being an Iftar banquet for children under the name "Accept Each Other" aiming at bringing children together between the ages of 6-15.

Michael Schumacher Got a Piece Of The World!

A few weeks ago, Schumacher received the biggest gift of his life!
Dubai's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has gifted Formula One driver Michael Schumacher with a piece of The World!
The World is a manmade island development -300 islands- located off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, & Schumacher's island is part of 'Antarctica' on the artificial globe & is worth about $7 million!
Schumacher's manager Willi Weber confirmed this news by saying: In a couple of years it will be finished. Then Michael & wife Corinna will have their own holiday island!

Fried Coke: It Sound Bad, It Tastes Great!

Abel Gonzales, a 36 year old computer analyst from Dallas is doing more than just frying some zero-ones for a living. He made thousands of dollars selling...Fried Coke!

Yes, fried coke!

It's a batter mix made with Coca-Cola syrup, a drizzle of strawberry syrup, and some strawberries!
Gonzales sold 35,000 of them at the State Fair of Texas, each for $4.5!

It’s either Texans have really bad taste or the fried Coke is actually tasty!

Gay Couples Get Equal Rights

The Supreme Court in the US state of New Jersey unanimously ruled that committed gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights as married couples but by a 4-3 majority the court stopped short of ordering the New Jersey Legislature to allow same-sex marriage.

So, this means that gay couples have all the rights as married couples do apart from the fact that they are not legally "married".

"Those who would view today's Supreme Court ruling as a victory for same-sex couples are dead wrong," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality. "So help us God, New Jersey's LGBT community and our millions of straight allies will settle for nothing less than 100 percent marriage equality."

So they got their rights, what’s the problem?

Subway Gets the Finger

Even feared finding a bug in your sandwich? A fly in your soup? How about a finger? No, not a fish finger...a real finger! Well that's what a woman in California found in her Subway sandwich.

Health inspectors were quick to appear on the scene as they investigated but would you believe it, they found nothing! They found no evidence that any workers had lost the finger, no food and health violations ...nothing. So they ended up sending the finger to the lab to check it out.
"It looked like a thick piece of fat," the woman said. "It doesn't look anything human to me."

Do You Hate Parallel Parking?

Toyota have the solution!
The Japanese giant planes to release a car next month that can...wait for it...parallel park itself!
How?
It uses rear-mounted cameras and a computer program to perform the task without even having to touch the wheel said Toby Hagon, an editor of The Age, who test-drove the vehicle said...lucky devil!
"This system assures you don't hit other cars," he said.

But... wouldn't it be cheaper to learn how to "learn" how to parallel park yourself?

Mona Lisa Goes 3-D

One of many discoveries found by French and Canadian researchers suggest the woman depicted in Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece was either pregnant or had recently given birth when she sat for the painting. The researchers were using three-dimensional technology to study the Mona Lisa in one of the most extensive physical examinations ever carried out on the painting.

30,000 Videos Removed from YouTube

If you're wondering where a few thousand of YouTube's videos went, you must know that they deleted 29,549 video files. Why? Well, just like Pearl Harbour, you can thank the Japs for that after a Japanese entertainment group complained of copyright infringement.

Apparently, The Japan Society for Rights of Authors, found the clips composed from television shows, music videos and movies posted on YouTube's site without permission.

Bush Accepts Comparison of Iraq to Vietnam

I thought he'd never say it, but now he finally has. President Bush -- the guy who has invaded 2 countries in 2 presidential terms-- has accepted that the surge in violence in Iraq may be equivalent to America's horrible experience in the Vietnam War.

Bush told ABC News that it could be right to compare Iraq's situation to the 1968 Tet offensive, which was considered to be a turning point in the conflict.
But, as usual, he denied that the rising number of Iraqi and US military deaths meant the Iraq campaign was failing.
So I guess in his opinion, he thinks it's succeeding.

Bindi Irwin Carries On Crocodile Hunter Love of Wildlife

"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's daughter Bindi, now eight years old, is carrying on her father's legacy as an ambassador of Nature. The young Irwin is shooting a 26-part wildlife documentary show, "Bindi, The Jungle Girl," set to hit the airwaves in January 2007.

The accident in September 2006, where the much loved Steve Irwin was killed in an unusual stingray b