Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema celebrates a goal during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on April 2, 2017. JAVIER SORIANO / AFP

Yesterday, Ministers and Heads of States from 22 countries in the Arab world gathered in Jordan to discuss some of the most complex issues affecting stability and security in the region. Tensions were clearly running high and pressures mounted as we witnessed leaders stumbling over stairs , falling asleep or not turning up at all! From Arab Spring to Arab Siesta, here are some of the most unwittingly comic moments straight out of the Arab League’s 2017 Summit.

Lebanon's forward Mohamad Ghaddar celebrates after scoring a goal during the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers football match between Lebanon and Hong Kong at the Sport City Stadium in Beirut on March 28, 2017. STRINGER / AFP

Jockey Mike Smith (R) rides Arrogate to win the Dubai World Cup race in the Meydan Racecourse on March 25, 2017 in Dubai. Abdulqader AL-ANI / AFP

Passed down from generation to generation, embroidery has become a major symbol of Palestinian identity. Originally a cultural expression of rural women, its patterns, fabrics, motifs and colors indicated a women’s place of origin as well as her social and marital status. Following the “Nakba” of 1948 and the 1967 war, this village craft, in Arabic referred to as “Al Tatreez,” has become a national symbol among the Palestinian diaspora . At the same time, its survival has been threatened by societal changes following the wars. However, small initiatives have ...

This Mother's Day , you might be surprised to learn that some of your favorite on-screen mamas have never embarked on the motherhood journey in their personal life. While necessity is the mother of invention, these actresses have only ever needed their natural maternal instincts to help them perfect the "mother role." Whether it was their acting careers, Mother Nature or personal choice that left them living their dreams of motherhood on the screen, there is no question that these successful women make their mothers proud in every other way.

An Arabian Class 9 Mare, yarling colts section, is paraded during the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship in the Gulf emirate on March 18, 2017. The championship is a competition for purebred Arabian horses which parade during the three-day event to showcase their beauty and talents. KARIM SAHIB / AFP

For the last six years, the world has experienced the Syrian war through one haunting image after another : a drowned boy washed up on a Turkish beach, images of starving civilians living under siege, an injured child sitting stunned and silent in an ambulance in the aftermath of an airstrike. But as Syria entered its seventh year of war, AFP photographer Joseph Eid recently returned to Aleppo in search of an elderly man, Mohammed Anis, known for his classic car collection, and captured an image that perfectly sums up ...

Al-Ahli's Everton Ribeiro (C) fights for the ball against Al-Taawun's Ricardo Tavares Machado (L) and Abdullah Ibrahim Kano (R) during the AFC Champions League group stage football match between UAE's Al-Ahli and Saudi Arabia's Al-Taawun on March 13, 2017, at the Al-Rashid Stadium in Dubai. STRINGER / AFP

International Women's Day is a global day promoting the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. More often than not, the discourse on Muslim women is dominated by negative notions of oppression and marginalization. However, this is not an accurate representation of the truth. In celebration of this year's International Women's Day we want to introduce you to nine Muslim women from around the world who hold, or have previously held, positions of great power - how many have you heard of before?

Athletes compete in the ITU World Triathlon at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on March 4, 2017. NEZAR BALOUT / AFP