Last week, tons of romantic “love locks” were removed from the Pont des Arts Bridge in Paris due to security concerns and replaced with eye-catching street art, including a vibrant mural by Tunisian artist eL Seed . It’s an interim exhibition while the bridge awaits new siding - not likely to be dismantled until after summer. Paris will always be the “City of Love,” even stripped of its famous love locks. Now it’s also emerging as the “City of Arabic Calligraffiti.” A recent fad had lovers tagging padlocks with their ...

Fancy a trip to the pyramids? Camel rides through the Tunisian desert? Or how about sightseeing in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra ? While some of these locations are still safe enough to visit, tourism in the Middle East has dropped in significant numbers since the beginning of the 2010 Arab Spring. Some might argue that the Middle East’s public relations needed a jolt after US and British forces attacked Iraq in 2003. Whatever the case, thousands of Arabs rely on tourism for livelihood. Declining numbers make a significant dent ...