When we think of urban regeneration projects, we automatically turn to the Western world or Japan to be wowed by the most futuristic visions. But while people thought the Arabs were sleeping, the Gulf states have been undergoing radical structural overhauls. What makes the transformation of the Gulf all the more miraculous is that before these deserts were developed into metropolises, there was nothing but huge expanses of inhospitable sandy expanse. It's hard to imagine Dubai, Doha or Kuwait City, today's avant-garde cosmopolitan hot-spots, as nothing but sand dunes grazed ...

The Middle East isn't just famous for the biggest falafel in the world; it’s recently broken the surface as an an architectural playground too! Even if it’s not producing new Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Middle East is certainly teeming with modern miracles and rocky riches. Although Arab countries are steeped in a deep and stony history, which is plainly visible to the visitor of its abundant historical monuments and landmarks from the Baalbak to the Jerash ruin, the rapid-developing countries, especially those of the Gulf, have moved away from ...

The sighting of the full moon on Thursday marked the end of Ramadan and beginning of Eid al Fitr for Muslims around the world. It was time for Muslims across the world to celebrate the three-day festive holiday through Eid traditions, including morning Eid prayers, big feasts, family visits, firework shows and festivals. Celebrators shared a mix of gleeful and proud emotions, as the well-deserved celebration came after a hard month of fasting and resisting life's various vices and temptations. Children especially enjoy Eid, as they are traditionally treated to ...

Eid Al Fitr (the festival of fast-breaking) is a three-day long holiday at the end of Ramadan. A time to celebrate with family and friends, for many it is the light at the end of the tunnel after a long and difficult month of fasting and abstaining. Unlike for other holidays that are set in stone or calendar, there's a cool way to spot when the festive celebration has arrived: Muslims strain their eyes for a sighting of the full moon. If it's there, so is Eid! Eid is a ...

Move aside Einstein! Before there was a spate of modern inventions in the 1800s, innovators from across the Arab world were making amazing societal progress and creating objects that we still use today. Paving the way for the Wright brothers, Tessler and all the other big names, we thought it was time to shine the spotlight on all the incredible ways the unsung heroes of the Islamic inventing world have contributed to world civilisation and modern development. With the dangerous double edged sword of Western media intent on portraying Arabs ...

Graffiti, once the trade of thugs and unruly teens, is having something of a second coming in the Middle East. Could graffiti be the new hieroglyphics? Used by the ancient Egyptians to record the events of the day, graffiti is the new public diary of choice. And with the never-ending cycle of change and conflict in the region, there’s no shortage of things to paint about. If the world is a canvas, then the recent spike in graffiti art worldwide can be seen as an attempt to make life more ...

As recently as last year, families used to sit around the telly for late Ramadan nights of family-friendly shows. This holy season, it's as though a switch has been flicked - Grandma suitable conservative shows have been replaced by the raunchy and provocative. Perhaps a dark force has visited scriptwriters to cloud their judgment - sex and violence are common place, rendering the era of comedies and heart-felt and wholesome life lessons a TV memory from a bygone era of Little House on the Prairie or Bab Al-Hara, its Arab ...

On July 29th the second largest refugee camp in the world, Zaatari, marks its first anniversary. The camp has come a long way in a year. Initially living in tents, refugees are now increasingly housed in caravans. Winter at Zaatari was especially hard for those in tents, although ironically during the hot summer months many refugees now choose to spend time in these, which are cooler, than the metal caravans where the heat can be intense. The Jordanian government estimates that 554,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Jordan since March ...

We watch them spend it all over the globe, but do we really know how much mega money our darling Arab celebs are rolling in? Ever wondered how much those celebs earn for appearing on Ramadan TV shows? Well, wonder no more, cos' we've got all those figures out in sight on a blank checkbook for you! Here's a sneak peek inside the holy paychecks of some of your favorite stars. It pays to show your premium face on our TV sets in the holy month. But who makes the ...

Blessed Ramadan is by all accounts already difficult enough. Dawn-to-dusk fasting in summer heat, work stress and social obligations can make for a trying time. But with the added complexities of navigating Israeli checkpoints in the Occupied Territories and Jerusalem, it’s even harder for Palestinians living under occupation. Israel's Ramadan Karim! Israel does however apply some special concessions for the holy month. Ordinarily, Palestinians are not allowed to enter Israel without a special permit. During Ramadan, the occupying power significantly eases restrictions to allow the fasting faithful to visit contested ...

A tale of Egypt's military coup d'etats, from 1952 to 2013. The last half century plus has witnessed two political revolutions that took place in Egypt, both culminating in military coups d'etat that ousted heads of state from power. Egypt at both ends of the time line has felt large scale political and social discontent brewing, whether in rejection of the decadence and corruption surrounding the British installed monarch, or in the face of the havoc and retrograde policies under the Islamist weak link. 1952's July Revolution saw the Egyptian ...