Most of us do not have the “luxury” to seek out 5-7 star locales for our next holiday, but who says we can’t window shop with the best of them. For the lucky set who can afford to splurge on the world’s crème de la crème in hotels, the Middle East’s luxurious offerings may be bang on the money! With architectural decadent wonders of the world like the Burj Al Arab that kisses the Gulf’s opulent skylines, and aggressive amenities and seductive services that make the VIPs of VIPs’ jaws ...

There's been quite the build-up -- false starts, pullouts, rumors, political intrigue and rampant speculation, to and fro-ing on the million dollar question 'to attend or to skip?,' and deciding "what it all means" in the end. The days leading up to the highly-anticipated Geneva 2 peace talks have been one heck of a roller coaster ride. On January 22 in Montreux, Switzerland, major world powers will finally come together to discuss a topic that has divided the international community for 34 months - the Syrian civil war. Put forward ...

With all the hype and the hyperbole of the Western media these days, reading the news headlines or watching a movie about the Middle East is enough to make your headspin. Sometimes you need to take yourself into a personal journey in order to understand the intricacies of any situation - away from Hollywood’s “artistic license” and sometimes institutionalized “ Orientalism ”. And that’s where the documentary comes in - the humble artform that strives to shed light on issues and get you thinking. Now that everyone has an opinion ...

After spending eight years in a coma, former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon passed away at the age of 85 this weekend and was buried at his Negev ranch on Monday. Sharon lampooned “the bulldozer” in honor of his affinity for settlements was a combative figure in life , perhaps more responsible than any other figure for deepening the divide between the Israelis and Palestinians. Since the inception of the Israeli state, he was involved with Jewish militias killing and clearing entire Palestinian villages of their occupants. The ruthless massacre ...

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who died on Saturday after spending eight years in a coma, has left a mixed legacy in the Middle East where for the Arab camp he is largely public enemy number one . But what impact did he have on his fellow Middle Eastern leaders - enemies and friends- prior to his death and how will he be remembered by the region's old school who often 'worked' side by side with this larger than life ex-PM. A commander in the IDF, Sharon is widely ...

In 2013, the Middle East saw more action than perhaps the last scene of a Rambo movie. Last year, fighting between Syrian rebels and Assad’s regime forces exploded and spiralled to a new level of violent chaos. Peace talks between the Israeli and the Palestinians were revived. Iran held historic negotiations with major Western powers. And with over 7,000 deaths, Iraq witnessed the worst levels of bloodshed since the country’s 2007 sectarian clashes. Now, all of this action (and more) has spilled over into 2014. With Iran and Saudi Arabia ...

When it comes to newspapers nowadays, it seems that all of the ink on the printing press is devoted to printing negative headlines. Suicide bombings. Murders. Robberies. These negative announcements are especially pronounced when it comes to news from the Middle East. In most Western media outlets, the words “Middle East” and “terrorism” are never far away from each other. But fact is more varied than these fictions. The truth is that many people in the Middle East live out their entire lives without ever witnessing a beheading, bombing or ...

Every December, people worldwide take the opportunity to reflect on the year that has past, as well as the year ahead. For many, the new year represents a fresh start to get rid of bad habits or start something new. Making a new year’s resolution has become a long-lived tradition to welcome in this new beginning and time of renewal. The habit dates back to the ancient Babylonians. While folks of the past made promises of paying debts and returning objects, today's generation often makes a mix of funny, weird ...

Renewed movement towards peace and change has continued to lend hope to the Middle East in 2013. Through protest, violence, as well as dialogues and peace negotiations, people throughout the region have been mobilizing to change the status quo in their respective countries. Egypt and Syria dominated headlines. The ousting of Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi in July and the army’s bloody crackdown on Islamists and the Muslim Brotherhood placed the north African country in the spotlight globally throughout the year. Chemical attacks , proposed peace negotiations, 33-months of bloodshed and ...

With kickin’ concerts scheduled all across Arabia, there are ample opportunities to rock your way into 2014! Whether you want a little “Ice, Ice, Baby” or prefer a hot and steamy night, you can decide if you should aim for Amman, escape to the Emirates , or bust over to Beirut this December 31st, based on this mega-packed list of gigs. You’re spoilt for choice this year, as you’ll get to select which of your fave stars to spend New Year’s Eve with. This celeb crew come from all over ...

There might not have been much peace and goodwill in the Middle East this year, but Christmas 2013 was still celebrated with gusto in the Orient. With Christians being increasingly targeted by extremist groups, some festive cheer was much needed - and Santa delivered! 2013 has been a tough year for all the Middle Eastern states - if they are not rocked by all-out sectarian conflict (a la Syria), then there's a chance they've been impacted by dodgy governments, weak economies or settlement strife. Despite all this, Christmas 2013 went ...