Dilshad D. Ali: July 2008 Archives

If you're an Olympics junkie like me, then you're probably salivating for the Beijing Games to start on August 8, 2008, at 8:08 pm. Every four years I just can't get enough of the Olympics. Everything about the Games gets my blood pumping--the big-name athletes favored to win, the lesser-known athletes who perform stunning upsets, the heartbreaking losses, the acts of heroic sportsmanship, the heartwarming back stories, and, of course, the inspirational moments that rise forth in every Game to become part of our collective human story.

In the spirit of the Games, Beliefnet has gathered together the 15 most inspirational Olympic moments. There are stories and athletes in this gallery that you won't forget: Kerri Strug and the "Miracle on Ice." There are ones that will jog your memory, like the Jamaican bobsled team and Derek Redmond. And then there are inspirational moments that you may not remember at all, but upon reading about them in this gallery, you'll see why they had to be included.

So check out this gallery and get inspired all over again. And if you think we missed any, leave your comment below.

Quick! When you think of what married life is in the Middle East, what comes to mind? Women clad in black burkas, abayas (robes), hijabs, and face veils, sticking close to home, raising kids and following the lead of her dominating Arab husband? A relationship where the man is in charge and the woman sticks to the roles of wife and mother?

Not according to "Noor," a popular Turkish soap opera that's gaining huge viewership across the Gaza strip and in Saudi Arabia. It features a handsome protagonist names Mohannad, a blue-eyed Arab heartthrob married to Noor, who aspires to be a fashion designer. And get this--Mohhanad supports her goals! According to a Newsweek article, women across the Middle East are swooning for this atypical Arab hero against the wishes of strict, conservative Arab-Muslim clerics who are urging people to tune out the "un-Islamic" show.