Blog Archives
Turkey is No. 1 in global humanitarian aid
Source: worldbulletin.net
Turkey is No.1 in the world for the provision of humanitarian aid, according to the 2013 report by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency released on Sunday.
Turkey managed $4.3 billion in humanitarian aid sent through its official channels and non-profit organizations around the world, and that amount, with respect to Turkey’s Gross National Product, ranks it as first in the world. Countries are ranked in the report by the amount of aid provided with respect to the country’s GNP.
The report explains that the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency played an important role in conducting Turkey’s “soft power” foreign policy.
Documentary: World War One Through Arab Eyes – Episode 2: The Ottomans (Video)
One hundred years after the Ottomans joined the war, this three-part series tells the story from an Arab perspective. Episode two tells the story of the decline of the Ottoman Empire, the fall Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the rise of the young Turk government in his place – and the history of the Ottoman-Germany relationship which led to the Treaty of Alliance between them in August 1914.
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Documentary: World War One Through Arab Eyes – Episode 1: The Arabs (Video)
World War One was four years of bitter conflict from 1914 to 1918. Called ‘The Great War’ and the ‘war to end all wars’, it is often remembered for its grim and relentless trench warfare – with Europe seen as the main theatre of war.
But this was a battle fought on many fronts. There is a story other than the mainstream European narrative. It is not told as often but was of huge importance during the war and of lasting significance afterwards. It is the story of the Arab troops who were forced to fight on both sides but whose contribution is often forgotten.
They fought as conscripts for the European colonial powers occupying Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia – and for the Ottomans on the side of Germany and the Central Powers. The post-war settlement would also shape the Middle East for the next hundred years.
In this three-part series, Tunisian writer and broadcaster Malek Triki explores the events surrounding World War One and its legacy from an Arab perspective.
More documentaries…
14 of the Oldest Mosques in the World
Source: sacredfootsteps.org
14 mosques established in the first 150 years of Islam, after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated to Madina:
1. Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria: 96 years after migration (AH)
The site of the Umayyad Mosque was originally a Christian church and a Roman temple prior to that. After the Muslim conquest of Syria, the church was converted into a mosque. Caliph Walid I, who oversaw its conversion, radically altered the layout of the building- a project that was completed in 715. Parts of the outer wall today still date back to the original Roman temple of Jupiter. Inside, an edifice marks the spot where John the Baptist’s (Yahya ibn Zakariyya) head is thought to be buried. A plaque has also been placed above the spot where the head of Imam Husayn (may God be pleased with him) was put on display after he was martyred at Karbala.
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