Legendary US radio DJ Casey Kasem died last June, leaving a long-reaching legacy in American modern music. He not only entertained radio listeners as the host of popular music countdown shows, but was also an effervescent voice-over actor. (He was Shaggy in the "Scooby-Doo" cartoon series!) Kasem was just one of many Lebanese entertainers “instrumental” in American modern music. Born Kemal Amen Kasem in Detroit in 1932, he was the son of Druze parents from Lebanon and enthusiastically embraced his Arab roots. He promoted Lebanese artists , supported Lebanese charities ...

While gay pride is having its moment around the world, we at Al Bawaba are celebrating the lesser-known concept of ‘Arab Pride’! There are countless reasons for us to be proud of our heritage, despite the pervasive negative portrayals of Arabs in the Western media. There’s no denying that Middle East politics are messy - and brutal jihadists don’t help our image any - but beyond the battlefield are notable Arabs who have shaped our world in various ways. From groundbreaking discoveries in science, literature, astronomy, maths and medicine in ...

Wisps of pink smoke rise from an unseen candle as mysterious snake-charming music evokes the sensual moves of a belly dancer. The smoke dissipates, making way for a vast landscape of rolling sand dunes where a lone camel plods through a dust storm, casting an eerie shadow. “ I come from a land, from a faraway place, where the caravan camels roam. Where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face — it’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.” (continue reading below) Such begins the opening number of ...

Official: Atletico Madrid sign Jackson Martinez