Egyptian architect and photographer Ezzat Hisham has captured scenes of the daily life of workers in the limestone quarries of Minya , in Egypt's southern desert. He spoke to Al Bawaba about what motivated his stunning series of images that depict one of the most dangerous jobs on earth. Winter snows do blanket parts of the Middle East, but in the desert quarries of Minya, workers toil in a year-long blizzard of lethal white stone dust. Hisham, who is pursuing a career as an event photographer, posted the otherworldly images ...

Spain's Rafael Nadal receives his trophy from Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, after defeating Belgium's David Goffin in the final match of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2016 in Abu Dhabi on December 31, 2016. NEZAR BALOUT / AFP

2016 was quite a year for the Middle East: The war in Syria grinds on into its sixth year, and conflict from Yemen to Libya continues to destabilize the region and drive families from their homes. While Daesh lost some major ground in Iraq and Syria, lone wolf attackers and Daesh cells stepped up bombings and shootings in Europe. But amid the turmoil, photographers also managed to capture moments of beauty, humanity and simple pleasures. Here are 14 of the year's most memorable images.

AC Milan's players pose with the trophy after winning against Juventus during the Italian Super Cup final match between AC Milan and Juventus in Doha on December 23, 2016. AC Milan beat Juventus to win the Italian Super Cup in a penalty shootout, the first trophy the Rossoneri have won since 2011. KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

Celebrities, they never seize to amaze us. And as much as we love those fame-hungry divas (male and female), we can’t swallow some of the things they dare say out in the open. But which celebrity statements made Arab social media gasp in 2016? Here are our top five picks:

Is there a Jewish equivalent to the Wahhabi school of Islam ? Wahhabism is an ultraconservative branch of Islam that seeks to restore pure monotheistic worship among its devotees. Critics view it as a radical distortion of Islam. It may have met its match in ultra-orthodox Judaism . Both are extremely averse to secular society, relentlessly intolerant of other sects, and hold rigid views on women’s roles and rights, and share a disdain of the modern state of Israel . Orthodox Jews in the Palestinian Territories dream of restoring the ...

Juventus players attend a training session in Doha on December 21, 2016, two days before the Italian Super Cup final football match between Juventus and AC Milan in the Qatari capital. KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

As we near the end of December , the Middle East’s estimated twelve million Christians are busy preparing for Christmas celebrations . Families typically enjoy rich lamb dishes, gift-giving and indulging in sweet treats to mark the festival of the birth of Jesus. In Lebanon, Christians grow seeds on cotton wool, a bonfire of dried thorns is burnt in Iraq and Jordanian Christians enjoy a slice of boozy Christmas cake. However, 2016 has been a difficult year for many of the region, including its Christian communities, and the events of ...

In light of the latest controversies in Lebanon and Turkey regarding the law's treatment of sexual attacks against women and minors, Al Bawaba has decided to produce an overview of the different legal rights and penalties in various MENA countries. It is an unfortunate truth that rape still goes underreported worldwide and very often the blame is placed on the victim, particularly if she is female, rather than the rapist. Too often, the female victim is questioned about her behavior, dress and whereabouts related to the incident before being issued ...

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane (R) and forward Cristiano Ronaldo gesture as Ronaldo is substituted during extra-time of the Club World Cup football final match between Kashima Antlers of Japan and Real Madrid of Spain at Yokohama International stadium in Yokohama on December 18, 2016. Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP

How do you feel about modernizing Muslim religious garb? Does it “normalize” conservative religious clothing, or can it potentially dispel the Western view of Muslim women as isolated and oppressed? Designers – eager to tap into a relatively underexploited Islamic womenswear sector - are tweaking traditional garments such as the headscarf and abaya, moving common, conservative clothing to high-priced haute couture. Others are spinning iconic Islamic details and motifs into fresh, fun, fashion accessories that appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. According to a 2014-2015 report by Thomson Reuters, Muslims ...