khazen.org stands by all of the positions of our beloved Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai. We regret that some people address issues …

You’ve seen these famous logos countless times on billboards, passing by on trucks, and at the grocery store, but there is more to them than meets the eye. If you take a closer look, you will find that these recognized logos have hidden images and messages. Check out these inventive designs that cleverly use white space and optical illusions to display subliminal messages.

FedEx

This logo appears to be very simple, but if you look at the white space between the "E" and "x" in “Ex," you'll find it is more complex than you thought. Can you spot the arrow?

These popular party chips are a staple at many backyard BBQs, but chances are, you've never noticed the hidden celebration scene concealed within the letters. The second and third "t’s" are sharing a chip over an "i" that is dotted with a salsa bowl. Yum!

By Livia Murray The Daily Star

BEIRUT: While Lebanese expatriates have long maintained close economic and cultural ties with their home country, they were finally granted the right to vote in parliamentary elections in 2008 – and were told that the process wasn’t ready for them in time for the polls that took place the following year.

Although the government is legally bound to provide a way for Lebanese expatriates to vote overseas, with the elections of 2013 just two years away, some politicians, government officials and civil society groups are worried that the out-of-country voting won’t be ready in time.

The electoral law adopted in 2008 states that “every Lebanese whose name appears in the electoral rolls has the right to vote by registering at the Lebanese Embassy or Consulate at the place of his residency abroad.”

Recent numbers from a survey conducted by the Foreign Ministry, however, show that out of the approximately 1.2 million Lebanese living overseas who are eligible, only around 3,000 have registered at their embassies to vote.

After being informed of the figure last week during a meeting at the ministry, Kesrouan MP Nehmtallah Abi Nasr argued that the Lebanese diaspora was in danger of missing out once again on the chance to vote.

But in an interview Thursday, Haitham Joumaa, director general of the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Expatriates Department, said the ministry was ready to hold voting abroad and had prepared a “detailed” mechanism to that end.

“If we are told that elections will be held three months from now, we are ready to hold out-of-country voting – if the cost of this process is covered and if we are provided with the sufficient personnel and other needs,” he said.

Joumaa said the survey by the ministry had polled every Lebanese embassy and consulate throughout the world, adding that an estimated number of 4 million expatriates have Lebanese nationality, though only those 21 years of age and over are eligible to vote.

“We have all the required details, such as, for example, what states do not allow nationals who also hold a Lebanese passport to take part in Lebanon’s elections,” he said.

khazen.org completely rejects the actions of some outlaws at Lassa Lebanese village. These criminals and thugs used violence against civilians and Religious prelates to scare them away of the Maronite Church Properties. These thugs attacked  Deacon Tony Halim who later received treatment at Saint George Ajaltoun hospital in Ajaltoun. Our prayers are with all of the victims.

khazen.org is outraged by the actions of these thugs who has attacked church Officials and invaded their lands. We would like Justice to be pursued by Lebanese Security officials  as soon as possible.

khazen.org was pleased today that under the leadership of our Patriarch our loving Father Mar Bechara al Rai he once again was the uniter following his motto" Love and Partnership  was able calm the situation. Once again our Maronite Patriarch opened his arms to all communities and reached an agreement with all parties involve in these events.  Eventhough the violence was only against our Maronite Church, Prelates and farmers. 

Khazen.org offers its complete support to our Maronite Patriarch, our father, the Hope of Lebanon. His opinions are sacred. He is the voice of the Lebanese Because of his strong love and forgiving nature Church bells will always rand and welcome all groups to unite! 

BEIRUT: An agreement on land disputes between the Maronite Patriarchate and residents of a predominantly Shiite village in north Lebanon was reached during a meeting held under Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, according to a statement by the patriarchate’s media office Thursday.

The statement said that following an incident in the village of Lassa, Jbeil, last week, the concerned parties met in Bkirki Wednesday night. Attending the meeting were Rai, Bishop Antoine Nabil Andari, who was heading a delegation from Jounieh’s Maronite Archdiocese, Jbeil lawmakers Walid Khoury, Abbas Hashem and Simon Abi Ramia along with Baalbek-Hermel MP Emile Rahmeh and all members of the Free Patriotic Movement bloc.

Other top security officials and a Hezbollah delegation headed by Ghaleb Abu Zeinab were on hand as well.

“The participants discussed the issue of disputed real estate in the area. They unanimously stressed that the political tinge be removed from it [the dispute] and [discussions] be restricted to the negotiation and a legal course, without any tension,” the statement said.

Last week, locals from Lassa accosted a delegation from the Maronite Patriarchate, accompanied by topographical professionals, who were surveying lands belonging to Jounieh’s Maronite archdiocese, in line with a judicial order. The delegation’s visit came following news that illegal structures were being built on archdiocese property, and the residents prevented the delegation from carrying out its work.

Members of a news crew from MTV, who were reporting from Lassa, were assaulted Tuesday by locals who smashed a camera belonging to the crew, forcing them to end their work.

“The dispute is not between parties or political movements, but revolves around real estate affairs. What the spiritual and parliamentary authorities, along with political parties, did in their meeting was make a positive and responsible contribution toward creating a climate to accompany this purely legal proceeding,” the statement said.

It added that the participants have drawn up “a mechanism to carry out the decisions taken within a timetable to end this issue, which has been going on for years, in a [definitive] manner by a committee that has been assigned for this job [resolving the dispute].”