Three public spaces in downtown Amman have been temporarily re-purposed as platforms to promote Jordanian contemporary design. Supported by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Amman Design Week offers an extraordinary range of talent and experimentation never before displayed as a single "happening". Planned as an annual event to encourage growth in Jordan's design sector, with workshops and lectures that stimulate learning and innovation. A wide range of handcrafted artifacts - many interactive - are showcased at " The Hangar" in Ras el Ain, the Jordan Museum "MakerSpace", and the ...

Alaa Al Shbbli of Syria (L) fights for the ball with Ki Sung Yueng of South Korea (R) during the 2018 World Cup qualifying football match between South Korea and Syria at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Seremban on September 6, 2016. MOHD RASFAN / AFP

In 2012, a pair of Lebanese pals began posting pictures of their travels on social media, featuring themselves poised in mid-air as a way to up visual interest. The spectacular images were riveting, and sharable, and soon Nader Diab and Imad Berro had a "thing" on their hands. They used their nascent fame to spread an unique and important message, inciting travellers to take a more respectful and responsible approach to global adventure . Now "The Globe Jumpers" and their like-minded travelling tribe post spectacular images snapped in the world's ...

Players of United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrate their winning goal against Japan during their football match in the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup at Saitama Stadium on September 1, 2016. KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP

When a fighter in the People’s Protection Units (YPG)-the most prominent Kurdish armed group in Syria-dies, fellow fighters and their supporters say “shahid namrin.” This is Kurdish for “a martyr never dies.” Wanting to fight Daesh (ISIS), it is believed that hundreds have come from abroad to YPG territory in northeast Syria to join the group. They’ve primarily come from Western countries , but also Egypt , China and elsewhere. There has been controversy about how useful the volunteer fighters are , but numerous foreigners are currently fighting in the ...

France made headlines this week for banning the “burkini” , a Sharia-compliant swimsuit worn by practicing Muslims women while swimming in public places. Though the ban was overturned in court, France and the rest of Europe has a long and well-known history of banning “Islamic” clothing like the face veil (niqab) and burka in various locales. France has even taken steps against the headscarf (hijab) as well, which has not earned the country any friends from the Muslim community. Naturally, stories from Europe about banning "Islamic" clothing tend to grab ...

Al-Nasr's starting eleven pose for a group picture during the Asian Champions League quarter-final football match between Qatar's El-Jaish and UAE's Al-Nasr at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on August 24, 2016. KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

If you think the Middle East is all desert and conflict, think again. There are dozens of places for adventurers to go on beautiful treks in the region, from Turkey's Lycian Way to Iraq's Mount Halgurd . In certain places, sure, you'll need to beware of international borders and land mines from wars long past , but if you do your homework ahead of time, the Middle East is a rewarding place to conquer the outdoors.

Israel takes gold in the “chutzpah*" category after claiming that Jordan’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist is “Israeli” with faux Jordanian roots. The athlete was born in Abu Ghosh, Palestine, an Arab-majority town established long before the Israeli state - and one that bears his family's name. His family emigrated to Jordan soon after his birth in 1996. He is not Israeli, despite what the Jewish Telegraphic Agency , Y net News , and Haaretz write. Taekwondo champion Ahmad Abughaush earned a gold medal for his triumphant performance at the 2016 ...

When you think of the West Bank in the Palestinian Territories, skateboarding is not what initially springs to mind. Stories of violent clashes between Palestinians and Israelis, housing demolitions , child arrests and Israeli settlement expansion tend to dominate headlines from the occupied territory. But despite the pervasive presence of the Israeli occupation, daily life in Palestine continues and within this, a small group of skateboarders have begun to emerge in the West Bank. Nurturing this growth in skate culture is UK based charity Skatepal , who have recently built ...

At a glance, the American South and the Middle East are polar opposites. The two regions have different politics, religions, terrains, barbecue preferences - the list seems endless! Despite being over 6,000 miles apart, the southern United States and the Middle East actually have quite a lot in common. Like we say in the South, " a stranger's just a friend you haven't met yet ." Could it be that these two cultures are more compatible than clashing? Albawaba takes a look at 13 surprising similarities between the two!