Culture

China, under growing global pressure over its treatment of a Muslim minority in its far west, is mounting an unprecedented and aggressive campaign to push back, including explicit attacks on women who have made claims of abuse. As allegations of human rights violations in Xinjiang mount, with a growing number …

Pilov is the most classic dish of Uzbekistan, consisting of rice, onions, carrots and meat, all cooked slowly in layers in a traditional cast-iron kazan (essentially, a cauldron). If you don’t have a kazan lying around, you can substitute it for a cast-iron casserole dish. By Sher Karimov For Uzbeks, …

The Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey has released their annual report, highlighting the challenges and violations of religious freedom they faced over the past year. Chief among these violations are allegations that members of the community have been offered work as spies and informants. The group claimed that the …

United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, in rare public comments on Saudi Arabia, said on Friday that people were unlawfully held in the kingdom and urged it to uphold freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly. Bachelet, addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council where Saudi Arabia is …

The Saudi Human Rights Commission (HRC) president said on Sunday that the Kingdom is working to protect and promote human rights around the world as it launched new human rights training programs. In the statement on UN World Day of Social Justice, Dr. Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad added that human …

The Ferghana Valley (also transliterated as Fergana or Farghana) is historically the main Silk Road route between Kashgar and Samarkand. It is a relatively fertile, populous and prosperous area though much of the surrounding country is mountains, steppe or desert. Two rivers, the Naryn and the Kara Darya, flow into …

Farah Nabulsi never imagined she could direct a film. Even after leaving behind a successful career in investment banking to tell stories of injustices in Palestine, after years of writing and producing short films, a persistent, doubting voice in her head told her, again and again, that there was no …

The BBC said on Friday the corporation will “reflect” on a radio interview with the first female secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, after concerns were raised about its tone. The response came after 200 people, including politicians, journalists and academics, this week signed an open letter to the …

Women can now join Saudi Arabia’s armed forces, following a ruling by the Saudi Ministry of Defense that opened the way for both genders to sign up through a unified admission portal starting Sunday. Military ranks from soldier to sergeant will be available in the Saudi Arabian Army, Royal Saudi Air …

Social media is inundated with offensive content, including hate, anger, personal attacks and, of course, exaggerated and false claims. Much of it is driven by angry political hyperbole and partisan attacks. It can be nauseating. But every once in a while you come across a social media account that is …

Sacred Bukhara is one of the tourist gems of Uzbekistan. The historic city centre is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The age of the city exceeds 2500 years. Let us say one thing. You will lose out so, so much, if you do not visit Bukhara. Popular landmarks …

Forget the predictable box of chocolates and flowers this Valentine’s Day — renowned fashion photographer duo Inez and Vinoodh have unveiled a virtual kissing booth just in time for Feb. 14, and it’s for a good cause. The legendary image-makers launched the campaign as part of their Double Dutch initiative, …

The year is 1910. A 17 year-old young man, Farris, with high ambitious dreams and a persistent attitude to pursue a better life for himself, away from the misery, hunger, and poverty that prevailed in most villages of Lebanon during the early 1900s, takes the decision to emigrate. To a …

Zakhriddin Mukhammad Bobur is a significant person in Uzbekistan’s history. In Central Asian history, he remains as a great ruler and commander who managed to found a huge empire which existed more than 300 years after his death. He placed himself on record not only in the history of the …

The U.S. Navy’s top admiral on Tuesday condemned two new racist incidents involving hate symbols on warships, which sources said included a noose that was left on a Black sailor’s bed. The incidents, which occurred in recent weeks, underscore deep concerns about racism in the ranks. The cases come as …

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced on Monday plans to approve a set of new draft laws designed to enhance the efficiency and integrity of the kingdom’s judicial system, a step that would eventually lead to an entirely codified law. The prince, often referred to by his initials …

Florida lawmakers, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, intensified their battle with Facebook, Twitter and Silicon Valley when they announced new proposals Tuesday aimed at reigning in platforms they accuse of squelching the free speech of conservatives. “Over the years, these platforms have changed from neutral platforms that provide Americans with the …

Pope Francis said on Monday he is intent on making a trip to Iraq next month even if it means many Iraqi Christians won’t be able to see him in person because of COVID-19 restrictions. “I am the pastor of people who are suffering,” he told Catholic New Service (CNS), …

In a “milestone” move, the Philippines House of Representatives has approved a bill declaring the first day of February as National Hijab Day every year to promote a “deeper understanding” of the Muslim practice, as well as tolerance for other faiths across the country. Congress unanimously approved the bill, which …

A new chapter in Arabic literature is opening up as more writers give a modern twist to old science. Time-honored styles and subject matters are steadily being replaced and expanded upon as Arab wordsmiths and readers explore creative new dimensions to storytelling. Authors are boldly publishing books in genres once …

Israeli authorities on Monday extradited a woman wanted on 74 charges of child sex abuse in Australia, following a six-year legal battle that had strained relations between the two governments. Malka Leifer, a former teacher accused of sexually abusing several former students at a Jewish school in Melbourne, had been …

Sudanese filmmakers who celebrated the end of stifling restrictions following the ouster of autocrat Omar Bashir have won multiple international awards but are yet to enjoy the same recognition at home. Cinema languished in the North African country through three decades of authoritarian rule by Bashir. But Sudanese took to …

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) has launched a campaign aimed at inspecting websites to verify their compliance with intellectual property systems and ensure they do not violate intellectual rights. The SAIP’s inspection campaigns have been on two fronts, visiting websites that broadcast movies, sports matches and TV series …

As a kid, Sami, the little boy growing up in the village of Aytat, Mount Lebanon, used to love going to that mysterious place, always known as the “Talhouk Castle” to play in its courtyard with the owner’s son. For Sami, the place had always been enigmatic and full of …

On Tuesday night, on the eve of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Mania Darbani’s mother called her from Iran. She was ecstatic that Biden would soon repeal the Trump administration’s so-called “Muslim ban” that barred people from a number of mostly Muslim-majority nations, including Iran, from coming to the United States. …

The 6th International Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation and the King Salman Disability Research Award will be staged in January 2022, a press conference has been told. The conference, organized by the King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR) in Riyadh on Monday, saw the participation of 26 countries and …

(ADVERTISMENT) A Magnificent view is all what you need for a perfect stay. Baron Hotel HeliopolisCairo instantly went through room renovations to give the property an exclusive look. The renovation started in the new building extension to make the elegantly furnished rooms appropriate and outstanding for our guests. The whole …

Five people who committed crimes in Saudi Arabia as minors have yet to have their death sentences revoked, according to two rights groups, nine months after the kingdom’s Human Rights Commission (HRC) announced an end to capital punishment for juvenile offenders. The state-backed HRC in April cited a March royal …

Saudi Arabia will “soon” be appointing women as court judges, an official said, in continued social reforms over the past years. Hind al-Zahid, undersecretary for women’s empowerment at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said a “Saudi woman assuming a position of judge is very soon. There are …

A group of over 100 Saudi women have overcome gender barriers and contributed to the technological transformation of the Kingdom through their management of the Advanced Electronic Company’s (AEC) military factory. The team has gained expertise in manufacturing roles that support areas of national importance such as digital transformation, energy …

Qatar has released a bodybuilding champion and two other Bahrainis who had been detained during fishing trips, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said on Thursday. Manama on Sunday demanded Qatari authorities release bodybuilder Sami Al Haddad, who was arrested along with a compatriot on Friday in the third such incident in recent …

Bahrain-born actress May Calamawy has reportedly joined the cast of Disney+’s series “Moon Knight,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. It is not known what role the “Ramy” star will have in the upcoming Marvel series. She will join American-Guatemalan actor Oscar Isaac who is expected to play one of the …

A leading figure in the UK’s Muslim community has been appointed to chair one of the country’s largest independent food banks, vowing to confront the poverty that has spiked in his community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. British-Pakistani Londoner Muddassar Ahmed rose to prominence by heading one of …

Nearly a third of Somalia’s parliamentary seats will be reserved for female lawmakers in an election next month, the prime minister said, a measure long demanded by women’s rights campaigners in the Horn of Africa nation. While welcoming Saturday’s announcement by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, some women’s groups cautioned …

Pope Francis said he is not sure if his trip to Iraq in March can take place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He cast doubt on the trip, which would be the first by a pope to the country, in an interview with Italy’s Canale 5 broadcast on Sunday night. …

Breaking new ground isn’t easy. Just ask Rami Yasin, the writer and director of “Bloodline,” billed as “the first Arab vampire film.” It’s been two months since “Bloodline” premiered on MBC’s Shahid VIP platform, where it initially appeared to be a success, with hugely impressive viewing figures. However, that was …

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday that the chaos unleashed on the US Capitol by US counterpart Donald Trump’s supporters exposed the fragility of Western democracy. “What we saw in the United States yesterday (Wednesday) evening and today shows above all how fragile and vulnerable Western democracy is,” Rouhani said …

By Emad El-Din Aysha, PhD     “We are what we are because we have been what we have been, and what is needed for solving the problems of human life and motives is not moral estimates but more knowledge.” — Freud   “A woman is a mystery to guide …

By Emad El-Din Aysha, PhD     Lieutenant Commander Data: “I wonder. What would Dr. Freud say about the symbolism of devouring oneself?” Counselor Deanna Troi:  “Data – sometimes a cake is just a cake.” — Star Trek: TNG, “Phantasms”, S07E06   “I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t …

Pakistan’s famous truck art will move from its highways to the skies, as a flying academy is painting a two-seater Cessna aircraft with the colourful technique. With elaborate and flamboyant motifs, Pakistani truck art has inspired gallery exhibitions abroad and prompted stores in Western cities to sell miniatures. “We want …

Israeli media have lashed out at BBC for airing a program on Jesus in which it claimed he was a Palestinian. The BBC World Service radio program Heart and Soul aired a program on December 18 in which presenter Robert Beckford noted that artistic depictions of Jesus as blonde and …

French President Emmanuel Macron was criticized on Monday due to comments on Marshal Philippe Pétain, France’s Nazi collaborationist wartime leader during the German Occupation, suggesting that one must separate his heroism during World War I from his acts during the Second World War, as reported by Algemeiner. In reaction to …

A Saudi court on Monday sentenced prominent women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul to five years and eight months in prison, local media reported, in a trial that has drawn international condemnation and as Riyadh faces new U.S. scrutiny. Hathloul, 31, has been held since 2018 following her arrest along with …

Nearly two years after the overthrow of autocrat Omar Bashir, Sudan is taking steps to rejoin the international community from which it was long shunned. That includes its film industry. For the first time in its history, Sudan has a submission for the Academy Awards. Produced by a consortium of …