ANKARA (AA) – Syria’s opposition urged the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Monday to protect the historical structure of the Old City of Damascus, a World Heritage Site, following a fire at Souk Sarouja. In a letter addressed to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, the group blamed Syria’s Bashar...
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – A rare collection of manuscripts is on display at the women’s section of the library at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The manuscripts include Quranic scripts written during the reign of the third caliph, Uthman bin Affan. There are also calligraphic works by Mohammed Ibrahim and a rare copy [&hell...
Karachi, Pakistan (AFP): When Ahmed Rabbani ran out of paint to satisfy his artistic yearnings during 20 years of incarceration at Guantanamo Bay, he turned to whatever came to hand — dirt, coffee grinds and even spices such as turmeric from the prison canteen. “Through painting, I would feel myself outside Guantanamo,” the 5...
NEW DELHI (AA) – The holy month of Ramadan has brought hustle and bustle to cities and towns in India where centuries-old markets remain open almost 24 hours to serve delectable foods. Since Ramadan began at the end of March, the streets of the national capital New Delhi’s old parts have been bustling with visitors. […]
Sabratha, Libya (AFP): Dozens of Libyan chefs are busy preparing a couscous platter the size of a large inflatable swimming pool as they seek international recognition for their country’s beloved dish. “It’s part of our identity, our culture, our heritage and we’re proud of it,” said spectator Ahlam Fakhri, watchi...
DOHA, Qatar (AA) – A traditional item of clothing called a bisht, which was worn by Lionel Messi while lifting the World Cup trophy during the awards presentation ceremony, has attracted great interest from football fans, according to Qatari media reports. Many fans, especially Argentines, flocked to the Souq Waqif marketplace to buy the tradi...
ISTANBUL – Pushing back criticism over a decree that makes it mandatory for women to wear the face veil in Afghanistan, the Taliban government has said that the country is “predominantly Muslim” and so the order “is in line” with religious and cultural practices. “Since the people of Afghanistan are predominantly Muslim, the Afghan gover...
WASHINGTON (AA) – Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine is aimed at annihilating its eastern European neighbor’s culture, US President Joe Biden said on Friday. Biden said that not only is Russian President Vladimir Putin “trying to take on Ukraine, he is really trying to wipe out the culture and identity of the Uk...
NEW DELHI – A retired Indian Muslim policeman in the southern province of Kerala is revitalizing and popularizing the ancient martial art Kalaripayattu, believed to be introduced by Hindu gods which remained part of Hindu rituals and customs. Speaking in connection with the World Culture Day on April 15, K V Muhammad Gurukkal, 58, based [&hell...
The brides were dressed in elaborate and glittery kebayas, the Indonesian national costume. The grooms were clad in traditional wedding outfits. Both groups were all smiles as family members led them to the wedding venue Tuesday in Indonesia’s Bogor district, West Java province. The couples joined a mass wedding event held and sponsored by Sav...
