If you thought all the hipsters were in Berlin and New York, think again. The Middle East -- despite its reputation for religious conservatism -- has its own bohemian scene thriving in many of the region’s cities. Though some regimes aren’t always so tolerant of the hipster lifestyle , in other places anti-establishment street art , DIY culture, gentrification and ironic attitudes abound. From Cairo to Dubai, here are the still-undiscovered hipster meccas of the Middle East.

Here’s a pitch perfect way to parody terror that empowers people too. The idea behind a new Twitter feed called ISIS Karaoke couldn’t be simpler. Grab an image of a terrorist (or any advocate of hate) gripping a microphone, pair it with a Western pop song lyric, and create comedy haiku that instantly satirizes an otherwise somber situation. Then send the silly couplets flying ‘round on social media. Watch each resulting giggle deflate demonic dreadfulness. ISIS Karaoke’s first tweet took flight on August 16. One day later the site had ...

Online and in the real world, few people have been able to get the image of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi out of their minds since it surfaced on social media last week. It has spurred European governments to serious conversation about the thousands of war-torn refugees fighting to reach their shores. Meanwhile, Arabs have pointed bitterly at Gulf countries, where effective asylum policies have also been elusive . By Monday, even Secretary General Ban Ki-moon admitted the UN security council was failing in Syria. This is hardly the first time asylum ...

Halloween is weeks away, but here’s a simple costume idea that's wrapped in adventure, travel and extreme sport. Grab some leather boots and a 'brain bucket' and dress up as a biker! Next add a motorcycle or scooter and you’re all set for the 2015 Cross Egypt Challenge. The fifth edition of this cross-country tour starts on October 23rd and ends nine days later on Halloween. Do you dare? Cross Egypt Challenge is the only organized endurance cross-country rally in the Middle East and North Africa. Each year, it features ...

Federer rolls back the years

Middle East fashion designers have been coming on scene with the force and speed of Arabian throughbreds, conquering Paris, Milan, New York, and Dubai. Consider top designers like Lebanese Zuhair Murad (who dresses Taylor Swift), Jordanian-Brit Hasan Hejazi (whose frocks grace Paloma Faith), and Madiyah Al Sharqi, who is truly fashion royalty (her dad is the Ruler of Fujairah!). And those other Emiratis; the three gorgeous Golkar brothers, Babak, Haman and Farhan (they founded the label Emperor 1688 in 2007). So where are the Middle Eastern mannequins to help sell ...