Arab Love Affairs: The Best of Middle Eastern Folklore

Romeo and Juliet. Tristan and Isolde. Anthony and Cleopatra. These class love stories may be the first thing to come to mind when looking back on tragic romantic folklore. Yet, they have nothing on the mythic Middle Eastern love stories of bygone days, such Antarah and Abla and Qays and Leila. This blogger shares the bare basics of both stories Arabic and English.

"Arabic literature and folklore recount some excellent love stories. Although most end in tragedy, it is often in the most tragic tales that the depth of human affection is experienced."

While counting down the days of paper hearts and gaudy teddy bears, we have overlooked International Day against Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). OK, perhaps there will never be a card or stuffed animal raising awareness of this day, but here is what you need to know about genital mutilation around the world. It just might shock you.

"Communities that practice FGM/C report a variety of social and religious reasons for continuing with it. Seen from a human rights perspective, the practice reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women."

In spite of the whole marital rape issue and ongoing sectarian conflict, the Lebanese find time to be the #6 most romantic in the whole wide world. It would be quite flattering, if CNN didn't decide to use clichés, such as "olive-skinned", oriental decadence and bright colors of seduction. Last time we checked, this is 2012, not 1983.

"And yes, I know we come off as super exotic and our dark mysterious eyes hide all our oriental secrets. PUlease who wrote this? And you hear that ladies? Surgical enhancements. Fantastically Plastic. Wear bright outfits and if you’re lucky enough he’ll bring out his D&G shades tonight."

Seven years on, the Rafic Hariri assassination is still a sort spot no matter where you stand on the political spectrum. Elie from Lebanon believes that even though it is a horrible incident, it should not be the center of all Lebanese politics.

"And yet, we do not mourn any other politician by shutting the country down on the memory of their death. Case in point? He’s not the only politician that got assassinated. I can think of at least two Lebanese presidents that met the same fate."

The Press Photo of the Year is meant to be the most telling and representative photograph of what it is going in that specific year and it is an ongoing tradition since 1955. Yet, over the course of all this time, there have been only three involving Palestinians.

"Of the fifty-four photographs honored with the distinction, three feature Palestinians as the subjects. Three.... You’d think, then, that giving the world three opportunities to witness the realities lived by Palestinians would prevent the perpetuation of such injustices, no?