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History

Some people on Indonesia’s Simeulue island relied on folklore to escape the 2004 tsunami

Natural disasters

The majority of deaths from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami were in Indonesia. But the island of Simeulue was largely spared. Researchers say this was partly due to folklore passed down through the generations that residents are now trying to keep alive.

Holy Catholic relics from shuttered institutions are preserved on a New York campus

Sacred Spaces

‘A whole bunch of goodness’: Chef Alexander Smalls talks about new cookbook of African home cooking

Food

Native Americans hold National Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving in solidarity with Indigenous struggles around the globe

Human rights

This 100-year-old synagogue tells a unique story about Jews in Finland 

Sacred Spaces

How the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is still shaping the fraught relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Conflict & Justice

Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous enclave located in the South Caucasus. For decades, the territory has been the source of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, however, ethnic Armenians have been living in this territory for hundreds of years.

The Bambir, one of Armenia’s biggest rock bands, is still going strong after 40 years 

Music

The Bambir is a rock band from Gyumri, the Armenian “city of artists.” The band was founded during the Soviet Union in the late ’70s, and it’s now in its second generation. Some of the current band members are the children of those who started the band. They remain one of the most popular bands in Armenia. The Bambir’s sound is a mix of traditional Armenian folk music, rock and other genres. 

After more than a century, women take a formal role in New Bedford’s massive Madeiran Feast

Arts, Culture & Media

For more than a century, the old whaling town of New Bedford, Massachusetts, has hosted the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament. The event celebrates Portuguese culture. But this year, for the first time — and under threat of a lawsuit — women are allowed to join the Feast Committee.

An ancient Yemenite delicacy is passed down through generations

Food

Hilbe is Yemenite delicacy made from fenugreek seeds. It’s mentioned in ancient Jewish and historical texts and is said to have many health benefits. One family in Jerusalem shares its love for the special sauce.

Palestinian arrests in the West Bank have skyrocketed

Israel-Hamas war

There’s been a 100% increase in the number of Palestinians detained since Oct. 7. And watchdog groups are sounding the alarm on what they claim are ‘brutal’ conditions inside Israeli prisons. The grounds for the arrests are often murky, and many are put into administrative detentions that can last for weeks or months. At least 27 Palestinians have died while in Israeli prisons in the last eight months. Rebecca Rosman reports from Israel.