Dom Joly, back in Beirut

Comedian Dom Joly - born and raised in Lebanon - was back in Beirut last week to research his latest book and took an afternoon out to speak to the Daily Star - see Josie Ensor's story here.
This was a fairly tough assignment given that I had a few minutes in the midday sun to create something striking. However, with the help of Josie as as voice-activated-light-stand and some judicious tweaking in Lightroom, it all came together in the end. Thanks also to Dom for some excellent posing.

The night of the cold pizza...

Even the delivery boys had a tough time on Thursday when police in Beirut implemented a new law banning the use of mopeds after 6.30pm. Can't imagine there were too many happy take-away customers that night. Full story here

"We're used to making the news, not being it..."

Three veteran journalists were fired from the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation last week, they say due to their involvement with the right-wing Christian LF party. Story here.

He was in Doctor Who, y'know...

"So David it would be great to grab a quick portrait before you get going, if you have a minute."

Well, the man gave me five - which in blisteringly hot school yard somewhere in the midst of Beirut's Dahir suburb was just enough time to throw a light up against a convenient wall and bring you this. David Morrissey - respected actor and all that jazz - came all the way to Beirut to let some Palestinian kids have some fun with drama. Read all about it here

Please sir, I'd like my house back..

Palestinian demonstrators and their supporters gathered in central Beirut’s Martyrs square today to protest against government failure to begin reconstruction in Nahr el-Bared camp.
Considering they were fighting for their homes to be rebuilt they were very polite about it all, and jumped back on their busses just an hour and a half after arriving.

Full story.

Sandy cracks

Francophone Games end today. Good bye to the beautiful press center at Camille Chamoun Stadium which has been a home from home (from home) for the last week.

Beirut beats

Meet Omar Offendum. A man who knows things. The Syrian hip-hop artist and poet played an intimate show at Beirut's Walimat last weekend and showed once again that if just once the bright young folks with ideas were left to rule the show, things might just end up ok.

If a middle-east eminem you'd happily invite home to illuminate your folks sounds like your kinda brew, then have a listen.

- thanks have to go to Omar for not complaining once while I repeatedly blinded him throughout his set.

Beefcake

Francophone to the face: Ludovic Groguhe of France rearranges the nose of Romania's Constantin Bejenaru to resemble a bacon sandwich filled with too much ketchup...

Semi-finals of the 2009 Francophone games: Finals are on Monday.

High Flyers

Decathlon pole-vault at the Francophone Games. Still no spectators, save for a few school groups. None the less, some fairly impressive defiance of gravity.

Who is watching the Francophone Games?

Despite something of a media fanfare for the opening ceremony and a whole shed-load of free tickets, the only people at the 2009 Francophone Games seem to be either athletes, officials, soldiers or press. It seems a shame to piddle on Beirut's bonfire but one can't help but note the rows of empty seats, even when Lebanon are competing. I'm yet to cover the boxing or table-tennis or football but so far the volleyball, athletics, basketball and judo have all had fairly small crowds.

Still, it's good chance for lots of fun photography and free food. Great combo.