Diva Back in Damascus
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Singing in Damascus for the first time in more than 20 years, the Lebanese diva Fairuz, 73, electrified an audience that included Vice President Farouq al-Shara on Monday night as that Syrian capital celebrated its designation as Arab Capital of Culture 2008, Agence France-Presse reported. Fairuz, above, widely considered the greatest Arab singer after the death of Umm Kalthoum in 1975, is to give eight concerts, all sold out.
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Fresh from her 366-day sojourn in federal prison, glam-girl rapper LilÂ Kim is ready to return to the limelight.
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Arts & entertainment: Traditional music was one of the casualties of the Bosnian war. But it saved Amira, who emerged from the rubble to become 'Bosnia's Billie Holiday'.
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Syria's most prominent political dissident has been rearrested in a new crackdown on opposition figures by President Bashar al-Assad's regime
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Watching Nehlle Pe Dehlla recently was like a flashback to how, not very long back and indeed even today, a heroineÂs role was typically cut out Â super glamorous, with a few dialogues, and a couple of sexy songs here and there.
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DAMASCUS, Syria -- Last Sunday, Munir al-Sayed, a middle-aged Sunni Arab from the northern city of Aleppo, quietly did something he had done only once before in his life, without telling his wife or his friends.
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He's just back from a trip to Syria to drum up contracts for Austrian companies. In recent years, he ignored criticism from the West and met with Moammar Gadhafi and Saddam Hussein. Austria's Joerg Haider, increasingly sidelined in domestic politics since his far-right Freedom Party imploded, is looking further afield for an audience now.
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Lebanese Christian Mona Mehanna protested on March 14 last year to end Syria's hegemony in Lebanon. This year she is on the streets again, protesting with a group that enjoys Syrian support.
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For decades, she was a voice of peace and unity in a troubled region, but a Syria tour has proved that even Fayrouz cannot remain above the fray
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Â· Damascus says UN move will destabilise Lebanon  Â· Last chance for parliament in Beirut to end impasse
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The famous Lebanese singer traveled to Syria last week to appear in a six-day run beginning Monday at the Damascus Opera House.
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DAMASCUS  - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said he is ready to reopen negotiations with Israel &quot;without conditions,&quot; visiting UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen revealed.
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Two female Italian aid workers arrived back in Rome after being released from a three-week hostage ordeal in Iraq, sparking scenes of joy at their homes and relief among world leaders.
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Lebanese diva Fayrouz performed in Beirut again at last, and her country, it seemed, had never needed her more.
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Two weeks into a shaky cease-fire, some of the big names of Lebanese politics are moving back onto the political stage.
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Travel: Is Damascus the new Marrakesh? We've asked top travel insiders to pick their destinations to watch
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Shining onstage at the Santa Barbara Film Festival only last Saturday, Angelina Jolie showed up a world away â in every respect â on Thursday: Baghdad.   The goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 32, is there on a...