The latest on your favourite Arab stars
Lebanese singer Fares Karam had a narrow escape recently when he was suddenly struck with horrible pain. He called his doctor who rushed to Fares's house just in time to get the singer to the hospital. Moments later, Fares was undergoing an appendectomy.
The surgery was a success and Fares received a lot of acquaintances and friends in his hospital room. Because of the surgery, he stayed in bed for several days.
Fares cancelled his performance at a Beirut festival. But when he felt better, he flew to Europe to perform at a wedding reception.
Once back in Beirut, Fares will film two video clips for his songs Naswanjy (Womaniser) and Telet Aineh Be Ayna (Our eyes met). Artist Emile Sleylati will direct both.
Stars sing at wedding
Mohammad Zein is planning a big wedding bash in Beirut. The Lebanese singer fell in love a few years ago with the daughter of the former Yemeni president.
On the initiative of the father of the bride, the wedding and three-day reception were held a few months ago in Oman.
To show that he is a man of high social standing, Zein promised his in-laws a glamorous reception in Lebanon.
Now he is preparing for the huge party where artists like Najwa Karam, Wael Kfouri and Amr Diab will sing.
Zein said he will continue his singing career and live in Lebanon with his bride. To do so, he just bought a flat in Beirut's Achrafieh district.
Najwa invests in Dubai
Lebanese artist Najwa Karam is investing in Dubai. Rumours have it that she will buy real estate in a project located near Jebel Ali Airport and that the property is worth Dh81 million.
Najwa started investing in real estate in Lebanon several years ago, buying properties in the Metn area and Beirut.
The singer postponed the launch of her album, originally scheduled for May, because of the political situation. But she promised her fans that the CD will be available in a couple of weeks.
She will film one of the album's songs in a few days so that the music video will be ready along with the launch.
Najwa Karam was the host last Friday of Nichan's programme Al Arrab (The Godfather). The Al Arrab crew had to move to Dubai during the riots in Lebanon last May. But for its last episode the programme was broadcast from its home studio in Beirut.
While he was in Dubai, Nichan celebrated his birthday in a luxury hotel. During the evening he was surprised to see Lebanese star Assi Hallani arriving at his party and singing Happy Birthday for him.
Nancy Ajram: ‘The sun shines after the darkest night'
Nancy Ajram was among the artists who sang in several concerts in Beirut. She was also the host of Egyptian TV presenter Amr Adib, who flew from Cairo to shoot two episodes of his daily show Al Kahira Al Youm (Cairo Today).
During the show, Nancy said that she is optimistic by nature and that she has high hopes for Lebanon.
“The sun shines after the darkest night,'' she said."The most beautiful thing in life is to preserve our innocence even when we become grown-ups.''
She added that she cries very easily and taking hasty decisions is one of the things she doesn't like about herself.
Nancy said that"being an artist is not easy and the hardest thing about it is losing your own privacy''. She added that she prefers not to think about her stardom; it's a way for her to stay humble.
She also said that being famous doesn't put a barrier between her and the sufferings of the ordinary people. A real artist feels with the people, he will be sad and happy with them.
On June 20, Nancy will fly to Algiers where she will sing for the first time.
Hassoun stars on Egyptian TV
Shaza Hassoun, last year's Star Academy finalist, will star in an Egyptian TV programme. Shaza, who is of Iraqi origin, will play the role of a girl whose mother is Iraqi and father Egyptian.
By pure coincidence, a doctor played by Shaza, meets her sick father in the hospital where she works. She has never seen him before because of the war in Iraq.
The programme, to be shot in Egypt, Syria and Iraq, is titled Rassael Min Rajoul Mayet (Letters From a Dead Man). The programme will be shown on TV next Ramadan.
