One of Lebanon's most enduring cultural festivals returns on July 20.
Held on the grounds of the two-century-old palace in the Chouf Mountains that it is named after, the annual Beiteddine Festival has been hosting eclectic events since launching in 1984.
Past performers have included everyone from pop stars Mariah Carey and Phil Collins to Lebanese music titans Fairouz and Majida El Roumi.
This year, the draw of the bill is Lebanese-Armenian pianist Guy Manoukian. His shows on July 22 and 23 are sold out, but here's who else is playing this year's Beiteddine Festival.
July 20: Farrah El Dibany
The opening concert will have Lebanese mezzo-soprano El Dibany perform popular arias and classic Arabic songs by artists such as Asmahan, Fairouz and Dalida.
A seasoned singer, having performed regularly at the Paris Opera as well as the Bolshoi Theatre, El Dibany also performed as part of the closing ceremony of the World Cup Qatar 2022.
She will be accompanied by an orchestra conducted by Lubnan Baalbaki of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra.
Show starts at 8.30pm; tickets from $20
July 25: Donna Khalife and Arthur Satyan
Two fine jazz musicians will team up for a special concert.
Lebanese vocalist and double bassist Khalife has been performing for more than two decades with shows at home and abroad as band leader or side woman.
The festival could be the ideal place for her to showcase new works from her coming third album.
Armenian pianist and composer Satyan is the present dean of the jazz department at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music.
Having performed with jazz stars Larry Coryell and Sonny Fortune, he is renowned for his authentic approach recalling artists such as Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk.
Show starts at 8.30pm; tickets from $20
July 27: Mayssa Karaa
Berklee Abu Dhabi artistic director Karaa returns to her native Lebanon for a concert alongside colleagues from the UAE conservatory.
The singer will showcase her eclectic body of work, veering from Arabic folk and pop to rock and electronica. Last month she released Netla'a Bi Beirut (We'll meet in Beirut), a song in which she yearns for the city of her birth.
She will be accompanied by an ensemble led by Jordanian composer and violinist Yaurb Smarait, and Lebanese oud player Charbel Rouhana will make a guest appearance.
Show starts at 8.30pm; tickets from $20
August 2, 3 and 5: Chicago the Musical
An Arabic version of the much-loved musical Chicago will be performed.
Created by US theatre stalwarts John Kander and Fred Ebb, it features choreography by Bob Fosse.
A glamorous tale of love and deceit, Chicago went on to become a mainstay of New York’s Broadway and London’s West End.
A lot of its appeal comes down to its catchy tunes, such as Razzle Dazzle, Cell Block Tango and All That Jazz.
Show starts at 8.30pm; tickets from $25
More information is available at beiteddine.org
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Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
AVOID SCAMMERS: TIPS FROM EMIRATES NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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RESULT
Los Angeles Galaxy 2 Manchester United 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Results
Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)
Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
- Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs
- Thursday 20 January: v England
- Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad:
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith
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The five pillars of Islam
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
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Company%20Profile
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH DETAILS
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum (14), Oxlade-Chamberlain (52)
Genk 1
Samatta (40)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Naga
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Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now