In light of the recent news of Israeli female soldiers being punished by their commanding officers for posting racy pictures of themselves on Facebook, we thought we’d put together a list of some of the most popular IDF ladies on the web. Whether you see them posing in their knickers under the #IDF on instagram, or wandering around Jerusalem playing with their phones, it’s clear to see that these military ladies have more on their minds than their basic training. Or, put another way, IDF girls just wanna have fun ...

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is somewhat of a veteran in Turkish politics, having been the Prime Minister since 2003. He’s been one of the most influential leaders since Ataturk, but that’s not to say he is wildly popular in Turkey. Increasingly, it seems the Turkish population is growing steadily more discontent with his rule and its many contradictions. The early years of Erdogan’s office were characterised by strong economic policies, a drive for democratic reform and a sense of liberalism in politics and society. Since his most recent election, in 2011 ...

From an Israeli native offering $5,000 for each homosexual killed to a man planning on building a gay mosque in France, news of gays standing up for themselves both in the Middle East region and out seems to be on the rise.

It seems that Middle Easterners at Cannes are front and centre stage. Whether it be showcasing top notch directors or providing the finest of ‘lady companions’ to the worlds hottest (and richest), Arabs are dominant on the red carpet in the south of France and this year was no different. A couple of things seemed a-miss to the keener eye - usually a staple of fine film, Egyptian movies were seriously under-represented this year. Knocking them off their podium were North Africa and Iran, with a Tunisian film taking the ...

Mohammed Rifi made Morocco look good Friday night after winning the crowning title on X Factor Arabia’s final episode of season two . It didn’t take long after the results were out for online debates to begin, which is just so typical of talent shows like the first season of Arab Idol . Before Rifi reigned victorious, the last two episodes Thursday and Friday were also dedicated to Libyan Ibrahem Abdul-Athem, who like Rifi represented UAE singer Hussein Al Jassmi ’s team, and the Jordanian Adham Al-nabulsi from Wael Kfoury’s ...

The X Factor winner will be crowned this Friday but the competition starts hotting up on Thursday. Voting will open at the beginning of Thursday’s show, with the least popular contestant being hoofed into reality-TV oblivion at the end of the night. That will leave just two contestants to go head-to-head on Friday’s final.

With summer vacation season on the horizon, the Middle East’s holiday hotspots are sure to be crowded and stressful. Let’s face it, a visit there will probably leave you in need of another holiday as soon as you get home. It’s time to cast the Pyramids and Petra aside people! Believe it or not, there are more hidden gems in the Middle East than there are shawarma shops. Whether you fancy finding an isolated spot for burkhini snorkelling, the oldest ghost town in the UAE or the rambunctious Ramallah nightlife ...

With all the political turmoil in the Middle East brought in by the Arab Awakening, let’s not forget what’s really important - sussing out which of the latest First Ladies in the region are the hottest - and taking a moment to reflect on those no longer enjoying the limelight. With a focus on those countries that have undergone a political transformation since 2011, we have scoured the internet high and low for photos of the First Ladies. Some of them are leaders in their own rights - Leila Ben ...

Ever wondered if the world of Middle Eastern politics was a jungle, who would be the lion? Of course you have! And you’ll know just what a beast of a task it is... Here at Al Bawaba we’d never assign such a controversial title to a single politician for fear of delivering an ego-boost so strong that the volatile region would immediately combust. Instead we’ve simultaneously scoured the entire region and the animal kingdom, plucking politicians and their inner animals and serving them up side by side, so you don’t ...

The countdown has begun for the 2013 Iranian presidential elections , which will mark the end of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s turbulent eight years in office. Iranians last went to the polls in 2009 for a vote that many hoped would bring real change. But the re-election of Ahmadinejad sparked days of mass protests, which ended in a violent crackdown. This time round, with Ahmadinejad’s time in office at an end, hundreds of hopefuls are vying for the top job. While Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayattolah Ali Khameini may have hoped this ...

Revered British physicist Stephen Hawking is more accustomed to making headlines in the Science section but his image has been smothered on front pages across the world recently after he pulled out of an academic conference due to be held in Jerusalem this summer. This kind of thing used to be all the rage among lefty celebs in the West, especially around the time that Israeli forces raided an aid flotilla bound for Gaza in 2010 . But since it’s been a little while since the last celeb snubbed a ...