Hollywood stars are probably more used to the kind of make-over that comes from the work of a hairstylist, make-up artist or - let's face it - cosmetic surgeon. But, Bahraini artist Mohammed Kanoo has proved that a bit of imagination and artistic prowess can make for a bigger transformation than all the collagen in LA. In 'A Question of Identity' - the artist's recent exhibition at Dubai's Meem Gallery - Kanoo took celebrities like Angelina Jolie and John Travolta out of designer threads and into Arab clothing. And he ...

All the stars were out that night, well except for those that cancelled for ‘security reasons’ or went on vacation instead. But for those that put in the performances we have all the details. Celebrities know that a new single or comeback concert is all about timing and the Eid El Fitr holiday is their chance. So we had Amr Diab in a ‘surprise’ new song release and Majed Al Mohandis just happening to start his tour on that date. Here is all the gossip on the highs and lows ...

The London 2012 Olympics have come and gone. If you were outside of London and blinked an eye you may have missed it. If you were in London you probably couldn't tune out from the commotion that was the 30th Olympiad. London pride flew at full mast and an opening ceremony that clocked praise globally was matched by the flying colors accompanying Team GB's record performances. What about the Middle East - the Arab players and occupiers of Arab lands? Overall, the sentiment felt has been one of disappointment. Less ...

In the Middle East, this Ramadan is proving hotter in more ways than one. If it's not one female Arab celeb giving us too much information (TMI) about her love life, it's another sharing childhood issues that her family might well prefer stayed behind closed doors. Bitching out rival stars or talking body parts shamelessly - it's all fair game and ready for spilling on Ramadan talk shows , much to the viewers' voyeuristic delight. Hot Gossip Airing dirty laundry - the more soiled and stained the better - seems ...

Far from the battlefields of Aleppo and Damascus, a war is raging: but this is more a question of funding and ideologies than tanks and bullets. As the biggest player in the region, Saudi Arabia has been doing its best to appear the savior of the revolution, blackmailing neighboring countries into getting involved in the fight. However, while they are happy to support a largely Sunni majority overthrowing a Shia dictator, they are rather more reticent about the uprisings happening at home. When there is strife in the Middle East ...

Assad and Gaddafi: age aside, the similarities are obvious. Or are they? Although the Syrian chaos is more often compared to Iraq , we take a look at a less obvious, but quite tempting, parallel to get a feel of whether the end is nigh for the Syrian dictator. Since Libya's downfall came first, we can see the signs of a leader's demise playing out now in Assad's regime. Today's news that almost half of Syria's second city, the strategic northern Aleppo , is now under control is a stark ...

'Tis Ramadan, the season to be subdued, calm, spiritual and ruminative, right? So what's all this we're hearing about cursing, feuding impure thoughts and soap operas depicting debuachery (at least in Islamic terms)? An Arabic Sex and the City, you say? Say it ain't so! Find out what the Arab world is abuzz with this Ramadan TV season , as complaints, gossip and controversy circulate. We look to the the TV soap productions of the holy month to see what's got everyone talking, and generally indignant and offended this season ...

After Syria , the Olympics , Ramadan , Syria, Ramadan , and still more Syria and Olympics it's about time we checked back in with Egypt and the nascent democracy's new main man Mohammed Morsi. A catch-up quite overdue with the country whose revolution kept us on our toes and then to everyone's astonishment delivered cleanly and safely a new fresh-bearded President in place of the old ousted rotten dictator. Included in the Morsi-review is the first reading of the Morsimeter and a general snap-shot of new-born democratic Egypt at ...

After the weekend of the Opening Ceremony and flag parades starring Arab entries to the London Games , we look at Arab achievements in Olympic-terms to date. We take stock of medals gained, and success delivered by Arab athletics and tot up the Arab world's collective and individual medal count historically. From the Olympic's Arab inception in Stockholm 1912 , 100 years ago, until Beijing 2008, we borrow from a CNN report in Arabic to bring you the figures and facts. Of course in the Arab world, where states and ...

We take a look at some of the Arab world's Olympians competing at London 2012 this week, in our hand-picked panel of sporting giants from Tunisia, through Libya , Egypt, Syria and more. Whether they're hot Arab Spring favorites for giving their countries a feel-good reward after a tough couple of years, or former champions back to boost the Arab medal count, we celebrate the Middle East's sportsmen and women who are going for broke durnig the coming fortnight. Cooked-up in a restive region, we have a mean brew of ...

Introducing our very own TV-listing for Ramadan 2012 in a sliding gallery of TV blurbs. Find out what's playing this season from the old sagas, to the new entries and the still up-for-debate controversial numbers. TV shows from Egypt, Syria and the Gulf address a cornucopia of issues ranging from family through society, history politics and justice as well as theology for the holy month . What will you be watching this Ramadan ? Leave your comments on the Ramadan TV line-up of 2012 in the space below