Ahlam is stealing the show once again this series of Arab Idol . From catty comments to outrageous outfits and silly stunts, the UAE’s most notorious loud-mouthed diva has made the region’s favorite talent show all about her . Stealing more air time than the contestants themselves, ‘Ahlam Idol’ is pulling in thousands of viewers every week and taking up acres of column inches across the region. But while she might be the star of the show, Ahlam continues to inspire hate in Idol fans everywhere. Here’s everything you need ...

The Middle East is hotting up, and we’re not even talking about the weather. Arab Idol is down to to the final 10 contestants, which means tears, tantrums and tunes will be amped up to the max. A kaleidoscope of countries are represented among the finalists, ranging from Syria to Morocco, but if you’re a social media animal, only half of those stand a chance. Check out their credentials here, and let us know who you think will be crowned Arab Idol 2013. Who do you think will win Arab ...

Despite often being overlooked due to the predominance of Islam in the region, on Easter Sunday Arab Christians from all over the Middle East came out of the woodwork to mark the Christian holy day, providing a beacon of light in an otherwise dark time. Here’s a roundup of the most visually stunning celebrations of Easter that occurred across the Holy Land.

From monkeys in Munich to lateness in London and accusations of inappropriateness at Anne Frank’s in Amsterdam , Justin Bieber’s international ‘Believe’ tour has already served up more star-quality drama than anyone could have anticipated. But for those of you thinking that the 19-year-old Canadian pop sensation must have maxed out on outlandish antics, think again! As he makes his way to the Mideast ready for his double date with Dubai this weekend , you can be sure that Justin is packing a whole new load of drama. He might ...

What started as school children spray painting anti-Assad messages on a wall in Syria's southern city of Daraa has entered its third year of violent conflict. The UN estimates that over 70,000 have been killed in the fighting , with over 1.4 million fleeing to neighboring countries. The bloody conflict has now spilled far beyond Syria’s borders, threatening regional war. There are fears that the almost 100 year-old Sykes-Picot Agreement - an Anglo-French plan that created modern day Lebanon and Syria - may be threatened by increasing sectarian fighting. Jordan's ...

Sunday is the Orthodox Palm Sunday, celebrating when Jesus returned to the city of Jerusalem. The day is known as Shaa'nineh in Arabic and is one of most important dates in the Orthodox religious calendar. The event enables families to come together celebrate mass, and the day is traditionally a familiar affair and an excuse to cook up a good feast and is well celebrated across the Levant nations of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and beyond. Palm Sunday also starts the Holy Week, the run up to Easter ...

Being discriminated against for being too damn attractive is something we can all relate to at Al Bawaba. Our very own, devilishly handsome, American in Arabia was asked to leave Jordan back in ‘82! Lucky for him, he promised to shave off his alluring facial hair , and was allowed to stay in the Kingdom. However even we were surprised at the recent turn of events in Saudi Arabia involving a bit of tourist totty. The UAE’s delectable, delightful, delicious Omar Borkan al Gala was hoofed outta the country for ...

For better or for worse, England’s influence in the Middle East has endured for well over a century. Gone are the days of beige linen suits, Balfour’s botched declaration and bomb-making tips courtesy of T.E. Lawrence. However, little England continues to spread its quirky charm, wielding a softer breed of cultural power, through its most famous exports, the lads on tour. And the ladettes. Showing a joyous disdain for local customs , the English have shagged, binged, insulted and groped their way into prisons the whole region over.

On the weekend of 19 April 2013 while all eyes were fixed firmly on the U.S.’s east coast, in the wake of the Boston marathon bombings, it was business as usual in the Middle East. Audiences tuned into the Bostonian drama unfolding, transfixed to every twist, turn, tip-off and tweet and the Massachusetts suburb of Watertown hogged the headlines from East to West. It’s no surprise we were gripped: just when we were sure it was a domestic issue, some Chechen flavor was thrown into the melting pot to re-awaken ...

Talent shows and controversy come hand in hand so its hardly surprising that the Middle East’s latest batch of singing competitions have kept the drama coming thick and fast, week after week. With TV talent shows springing up across the region, wannabe stars are upping their game to make sure that their performances aren’t forgotten. From the usual serving of diva strops and surprise winners, to disappearing contestants and landmark performances, 2013 has brought more moving moments and whacky wannabes to our screens than ever before. Here are Al Bawaba’s ...

Runners in Boston last night may have found themselves on shaky ground when explosive devices blasted them off their marathon course on the home stretch to the finishing line, but over in a different part of the globe, a natural disaster has shaken the Persian-Pakistani belt to its core. A powerful 7.8-magnitude quake has wreaked havoc with lives and livelihoods in the Near East. The quake struck Iran near the border with Pakistan just a week after an earlier and milder tremor shook the country. The last earthquake to rock ...