Slideshows

As the coaches' final teams of five get set to impress on The Voice this Friday night, we take a look at the behind-the-music drama (the tears, the gossip and the scathing judgement) that has taken the attention away from the singing talent over the past few weeks.

Just hours ahead of the polls, we take a look at Obama's Middle East tab of debts - promises undelivered or broken. Did he manage to undo Bush's unpopular Middle East legacy, and will an empowered region post Arab Spring expect more from the next president who they will hold to account?

In the final leg of the US Presidential race, will the Middle East matter as much as Hurricane Sandy? We take a quick look back at what the two final candidates had to say on the all-important Middle East (geography, doctrines, war-budgets and the Arab Spring vote) before we get lost in the more pressing domestic concerns facing the US this vital week of the big election day. The Middle East may have to go on the back-burner as Obama gets judged on cleaning up the mess left behind by Sandy, rather than plotting peace for Palestine.

It was a moveable feast for some who had to make other plans when certain celebs crashed and burned on them with concert cancellations. For some down-faced revelers in Lebanon and Egypt, it felt more famine than feast, as they looked to top their holiday spirits for Eid Al Adha 2012 elsewhere. Generally the Gulf's entertainment line-up was all a-go and fireworks and smiles all round.

Hajj and the sacrifice: On this most spiritual of journeys, the practical progress of the pilgrim is often overlooked so this Eid, we investigate the ways to short-cut, fast-track and get you to Mecca post-haste.

Whether they're more famous for their good acting, stellar singing or scandalous private lives, many of the Arab worlds darling celebrities are taking a break from the hype to make that spiritual journey to Mecca for Hajj or Umrah. Celebs can be good Muslims too, their public pilgrimages suggest. But is there more to these religious sacrifices than meets the eye?

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A breakdown or field-guide to the extremist factions knocking about on the Syrian opposition's battle field. The Islamist umbrella groupings and brigades of the Syrian rebel movement in a friendly fool's guide to the Sunni Arab insurgency.

Mr. World International, 2012, Middle East has been and gone, and if you're a man about town in the region that fancies himself hot stuff, then you've missed your boat and will have to wait til next year. Find out who the lucky winner of the million-dollar honor of securing the title was, and get a flavor of the competition through our gallery of Dubai's diverse male make-up.

Who’s in who’s not, and who's having a sulk? While the jury's no longer out on who's judging and hosting in this season of Arab talent shows, the decisions haven't sat well with divas and A-list celebs who have been left out in the cold by the selections. The usual suspects who did not make the draw are on the warpath, and the proof is in their catty comments.