Coexistence and 'deepening of democracy in Lebanon' sends message of hope, say Christian and Muslim leaders

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by Catholic News Service

Senior Christian and Muslim leaders and Lebanese government representatives agreed that Lebanon should be highlighted as an example of peaceful coexistence, noting that "the deepening of democracy in Lebanon sends a message of hope to the Arabs and to the world." They also reiterated calls for peace and various churches' support for "the Palestinian people and their national rights" and for Christians to remain in the Holy Land.

The leaders met at Notre Dame University Louaize in Zouk Mosbeh, north of Beirut, 1 July, for a follow-up to two events at Egypt's al-Azhar University, Sunni Islam's highest institute of learning. Addressing a peace conference at al-Azhar in April, Pope Francis emphasised that religion "is not a problem, but a part of the solution" because it helps people lift their hearts toward God "to learn how to build the city of man." Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of Maronite Catholics, spearheaded the July meeting, which included the Vatican ambassador to Lebanon, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia; Sheik Abbas Shouman, deputy of the grand imam of Al Azhar; leaders of the Sunni, Shiite and Druze communities in Lebanon as well as Christian and Muslim experts and Lebanese government representatives.

In their final statement, conference participants declared their willingness to go to the Vatican and other Christian and Islamic world religious institutions "to cooperate and coordinate with them." They also expressed "their desire to clarify the importance and challenges of a common living (Muslims and Christians) in Lebanon, which is the true guarantee of freedom, sovereignty and national independence." "Amid the tragedies of partition, displacement, forced population screening, ethnic cleansing, targeting of Christians by terrorist gangs - as happened in Egypt recently - and targeting others in Iraq and Syria, the dangers of sectarian strife and the escalating conflicts and wars in a number of Arab neighbours, the solidity of coexistence, and the deepening of democracy in Lebanon sends a message of hope to the Arabs and to the world," they stated. "We should do everything we can for Lebanon to remain aware of the seriousness and importance of the Lebanese experience and its relevance to the Arabs and to the international community in a strong and clear manner," they added. They cited St John Paul II's statement that "Lebanon is more than a country, it is a message of freedom and an example of pluralism for East and West."

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The magic of Musar

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by Living - There’s something very incredible about the ‘cult-classic’ winery of Chateau Musar in Lebanon. Wine production in this tiny Middle Eastern country dates back over 6,000 years. However, for the most part, only simple table wine was produced. Then, around 1930, Gaston Hochar set his sights on the fine wine industry and created the legendary ‘Musar’. If Chateau Musar were a cult-classic film, Gaston Hochar would certainly be the director. His son Serge, however, was to be the leading star of the Musar show from the late 1950s until the 2000s.  An incredible tale of romance, terror, passion and love, Musar has it all. When the first shots of the Lebanese Civil War were fired in 1972, Serge started to lose 90 percent of the domestic market. To survive, he would have to sell the wine abroad, something that was out of the ordinary for Lebanese winemakers in those days.

In 1979, Hochar exhibited his 1967 vintage wine at the Bristol Wine Fair, and it turned out to be the pick of the day among journalists and connoisseurs. The rest is history for this iconic winery, which has accumulated countless awards and secured resting places in some of the most famous cellars in the world – including our own in Ashford Castle.  The best-known wine of Musar is its flagship red wine. Produced in the Beqaa Valley, east of Beirut, it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan, which spend around 12 to 15 months in French oak barrels before they are blended and aged for three years together. After bottling the wine, it spends another three to four years at Musar before being released. So, we won’t be seeing the Chateau Musar 2014 or 2015, for example, for many years from now.
The wine itself has beautiful ruby hue, and cherry, blackcurrant and cranberries on the nose, with a hint of licorice. The palate has an explosion of brambly and hedgerow fruits with blueberries and cherries, complemented by excellent acidity and fine tannins, a perfect pairing with lamb. Made for aging and breaking out on a very special occasion, expect to pay between €27 and €35 for this wine in Ireland, depending on what vintage you find.

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Etihad just got amazing news about Trump's laptop ban — and scored a huge advantage over its rivals

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On Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it has lifted the large electronics ban on US-bound non-stop flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. The removal of restrictions placed upon the airport in March is effective immediately. This move comes days after Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly announced a series of sweeping new airport security measures. According to DHS spokesman David Lapan, Abu Dhabi International Airport, home to Etihad Airways, was able to quickly comply with the new security requirements. "Etihad Airways & Abu Dhabi International Airport have implemented the required initial enhanced security measures. (Personal electronic device) restriction lifted," Lapan announced on Twitter. "Kudos to Etihad Airways for swift security changes. Passengers will now be able to bring PEDs into the cabin of their US-bound flights."

According to Etihad, the only airline with non-stop flights to the US from Abu Dhabi, the ban was lifted after DHS officials were able to validate the new security measures at the airline's terminal. Abu Dhabi along with Shannon and Dublin in Ireland are the only airports outside of North America and the Caribbean to have a DHS preclearance facility. That means passengers on Etihad flights to the US are screened by DHS officials prior to boarding in Abu Dhabi. So when they arrive at their destination in the US, the passengers are treated the same as if they had been on a domestic flight. The establishment of additional preclearance locations is one of the key points in Secretary Kelly's plan. In a statement to Business Insider, Etihad wrote: "We welcome the decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to lift the electronic devices ban on flights between Abu Dhabi and the United States, following the successful validation of security measures at the U.S. Preclearance facility at Abu Dhabi airport earlier today (July 2, 2017).

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Qatar has been given another 48 hours to comply with a list of 13 demands

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Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia and its allies said early Monday they had decided to extend by 48 hours the deadline for Qatar to accept their list of demands to lift a de facto blockade. With the deadline expiring at midnight Sunday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt agreed to give Doha an extension to respond positively to their demands. The move came after a request by the Kuwaiti emir who is acting as mediator in the Gulf crisis, according to a joint statement issued by the official Saudi SPA news agency. The Kuwaiti government had requested the extension following Qatar's announcement that it was due to hand over its response to the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on Monday. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt announced on June 5 they were severing ties with their Gulf neighbour, sparking the worst diplomatic crisis to hit the region in decades. They accused Doha of supporting extremism and of being too close to regional arch-rival Iran, which Qatar has strongly denied. On June 22 they presented a list of 13 demands and gave Doha 10 days to comply. Riyadh's demands include ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The four countries indicated in their statement that they would study and evaluate Qatar's response before delivering their own reply to Kuwait. Doha has so far indicated that it rejects the demands. "The list of demands is made to be rejected," Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said Saturday in Rome. "The state of Qatar... is rejecting it as a principle," he said, adding: "We are willing to engage in providing the proper conditions for further dialogue."

Geagea Urges ‘Hezbollah’, Iran to Abandon ‘Wilayet al-Fakih’ Dream

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by Asharq Al-Awsat - Beirut – Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea declared that “Hezbollah’s” regional ambitions that serve Iran “will never be achieved,” reported the German news agency (DPA) He urged “Hezbollah” and its Iranian backers to “abandon the dream of establishing the ‘Wilayet al-Fakih’ in the region.” “The party completely forgot Lebanese priorities and interests and it forgot that several joint interests exist between Lebanon and the Arab Gulf region,” he told DPA. He vowed that he will continue his efforts to discuss the “heavy price” that the Lebanese state has to pay over “Hezbollah’s” actions, adding that he will bring this issue up at cabinet. Geagea stated however that the government will not take a “firm” stance on this issue. “We will carry out contacts with each of the president and prime minister. We know that they are currently insisting on the importance of preserving calm on the internal scene and they believe that addressing such matters could lead to destabilization,” said the LF leader. “We will propose it however and see what happens. Ultimately, we hope that our country and economy will not be affected by accusations that are made by a certain faction that does not represent the entire Lebanese state,” he revealed.

In addition, he addressed “Hezbollah” chief Hassan Nasrallah’s recent call on volunteers from the Arab and Muslim worlds to join the battle should Israel wage a new war against Lebanon. Geagea said: “Such a call is a violation of the legitimacy of the Lebanese state and government. It is a usurpation of its right to have a say over such strategic decisions. It is also a violation against the legitimacy of the people that have repeatedly proven their courage in defending their country without anyone’s help.” “I will not go into a deep analysis of this call … because it is completely rejected,” he told DPA. On Iran’s role in the region, Geagea remarked: “Unfortunately, the Islamic Republic has its own agenda that contradicts the interests, goals and existence of several societies in our Arab region. Iran’s project revolves around expanding its clout, establishing a Shi’ite line of ascension and spreading the ‘Wilayet al-Fakih’ in all possible ways.” “It has so far not wavered in its pursuit to destabilize regimes that stand against this dream,” he continued. “We have repeatedly declared that this dream will not be achieved and we repeatedly called on the Iranian authorities to focus on the affairs of its people,” said Geagea.

Star-studded lineup for Lebanon’s Beiteddine festival

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by Arab News - DAMMAM: The Beiteddine International Art Festival, one of the Arab world’s leading music festivals, was launched on Saturday at Lebanon’s magnificent 200-year old Beiteddine Palace in the Chouf Mountains. This year’s edition features international, regional and local artists including Majida Al-Roumi, Kadim Al-Saher, Jordi Savall, Omar Kamal, Emel Mathlouthi and The Political Circus. The festival’s organizers described the event as “a beacon of culture, heritage and art across the Arab world” with a “mission to create platforms for creativity in the Middle East.” Beiteddine festival was founded in the summer of 1985 in the midst of the Lebanese civil war.
Its launch, at the time, was considered a leap of faith and an attempt to revive Lebanon’s cultural and creative scene.
Two years after its start, Nora Joumblat and an executive committee became the official organizers of the festival, and ever since it has become a leading regional and international annual event.  Each year, in the months of July and August, the festival presents outstanding performances by world famous stars and Lebanese artists. Concurrent with the performances, the palace houses one or more international art exhibits.
Thousands of people from across the Arab world attend the festival every year.