In a region traditionally thought of as conservative when it comes to revealing glimpses of the female form, women are increasingly getting their kit off. Today we take a look at the ladies who have bared it all for fun, self-promotion and protest. Nadia Bo Siteh flashed her assets to promote her new film, much to the chagrin of many Tunisians; while in Egypt Alia Al-Mahdi’s nude stand against sexual violence provoked both applause and anger. Lebanese lovely Reema Fakeh was lucky not to be stripped of her U.S. beauty ...

News reports on the Syrian crisis are filled with explosions, executions and extreme suffering . But there is another side to the protracted conflict, which has paralyzed the country for more than 23 months. Few reports show how boring and isolating the war can be. In the early days of the uprising, President Bashar al-Assad’s regime promoted “pool parties” among middle class Syrians, which were held every Friday, the day of protest. Few were in any doubt as to the motives behind the sudden desire to entice young Syrians off ...

For a decade or more, Western society has been made to take a serious look at what is happening to their children. With g-strings for the under 10s and pre-teen heels, it is frightening to think what the eventual outcome of this could be. But in the Arab world, a more traditional culture has been seeking to protect young girls and keep kids as kids. For most Muslims, girls up until adolescence have no need to don the veil - something designed partly to shield them from prying eyes. However ...

A region of political conundrums and violent conflicts isn’t the obvious choice of venue for the day of romance, St. Valentine’s . But the Middle East is not without its would-be Romeos - and Juliets - leaving Arabs to celebrate the occasion in their own way. For some countries, the Western style of dinner and handholding is just not for them but that doesn’t mean that the romantics of the region won’t be stocking up on flowers and chocolates for their special someone. Even the notorious Saudi religious police are ...

Long gone are the days when a celeb’s success was based on actual work. While movies and albums might help aspiring stars make a name for themselves, there’s no need for them to worry their pretty little heads about a repeat performance when there are more important things to be focusing on...like themselves! These days more and more stars in the Arab celebosphere are proving it's possible to keep hold of their legions of fans without doing a single day’s work in the recording studio or on set. How do ...

The Kurds were promised a state by Britain during the Great War. But unlike the Jews, they shared a common fate with the Palestinians — dispossessed of an imagined homeland promised them by the world’s only superpower. After decades of rebellion, insurgency and campaigning, the Kurds may be closer than ever to achieving their goal of a nation-state. Despite intermittent bombings puncturing the relative calm of Iraqi Kurdistan , the region remains the most stable area of the country. The devolution of powers to Erbil from Baghdad means Kurds have ...

An Arab star wouldn’t be the same without a catty comment or two towards his or her fellow celeb but some are more adept at the snide remarks and witty put-downs than others. The undoubted queen of the online cat fight is UAE songstress and Arab Idol judge, Ahlam . With her keyboard in hand, she has hissed and spat at everyone from singing superstars to ordinary members of the public. While you or I might take the moral high ground, a celebrity scorned is not about to take it ...

The enormity of the human tragedy that has engulfed Syria since March 2011 cannot be underestimated. Tens of thousands have been killed, perhaps a million imprisoned and abused . Mothers have lost daughters and sons, brothers have turned on brothers. Millions have been displaced or made refugees . Amid all the chaos and uncertainty, one thing is crystal clear — the country will never be the same again. Peace remains elusive, even as new proposals are put forth from all sides. The current U.N. envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi ...

In the competitive world of celebrity, wannabe stars the world over will do almost anything to get ahead in the fame game. For young hopefuls trying to make waves in the Arab celebosphere, risque roles and scandalous scenes can be a fast-track ticket to the spotlight. By turning up the heat with nudity, steamy love scenes and even girl-on-girl action, these hungry wannabes show they’re prepared to go the extra mile to land that elusive breakthrough role. But after making a name for themselves by causing controversy , these same ...

Seven years after he first slipped into a coma, former Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has begun to show evidence of brain activity . Those on watch for signs of life have been disappointed before when, two years ago, a report was released suggesting Sharon was stirring from his slumber. However, according to Israeli scientists, the ex-general is now demonstrating ‘normal brain activity’, a significant change on his vegetative state. Although a hero to many Israelis, Sharon has been no friend to the region’s Arabs . Known variously as ‘Bulldozer’ ...

It is January 2011 and a wave of optimism is hitting the region as Tunisian dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, is ousted from his throne. The people’s pro-democracy demonstrations have taken over and the old tyrannical dinosaurs of Egypt and Libya are quick to follow. But there is no chance of democracy without the post-revolutionary election and sadly for the rest of the Arab world, not all elections are made equal. So while the Arab Spring nations were racing to the polling booths to show their support for a ...